Il Demone Bellissima
by krystal214
Summary: Bella is forcefully turned by the Volturi, but when she awakens more powerful than they could have anticipated things turn from bad to worse for her. Sent to live with the Cullens as a means to keep her safe from the one who seeks to exploit her unique condition, Bella finds her mate in Jasper, a family to love her, and a truth which could change everything.
1. Edward's Great Expectations

A/N: I have been holding on to this story for quite some time, though I have no idea why. I really do love it and hope others give it a chance too. *Fingers crossed*

**-Il Demone Bellissima-**

*Chapter 1 – Edward's Great Expectations*

Thursday Night - Edward's Point of View

"When are you going to be home, Carlisle? We all really want to meet our new sister," Rosalie said excitedly, though clearly nervous over the arrival of the newest Cullen.

"What's got you so worked up, Rosie? Can't wait to braid her hair, paint her toes, and have naked pillow fights," teased Emmett. I rolled my eyes at my single-minded brother's comment. Emmett barely flinched when Rosalie smacked the back of his head, feigning hurt with a silly smirk on his face.

Their relationship always seemed to devolve into sex one way or another, but I knew the truth about how completely in love they truly were. My giant brother was eternally entranced by his beautiful wife despite her constant irritation with him. Conversely, Rosalie adored her husband because he never judged her harshly for her emotionality; instead he seemed to love her more for it. I had been idealizing my perfect companion for so long that finding myself on the cusp of all that I stood to gain with the arrival of our new sister, Rose and Emmett's strange relationship took on a whole different meaning to me.

"I just have a good feeling about my new sister. I mean a newborn choosing to be a vegetarian amongst human-drinkers shows some serious balls. I can respect that. Plus that will make the boys vs. girls ratio around here perfectly even," she explained confidently.

Emmett scoffed. "Even if there were twenty guys to you three ladies, we would still lose the vote. I'm not too embarrassed to admit I know when to let my woman win in the interest of 'Little Emmett' _winning_ in private. He's definitely not a sore loser. Well, maybe he'd be sore if I was human, but…"

"We don't need to hear details about 'Little Emmett'. The lust _he_ induces is plenty for me," Jasper complained, thankfully breaking Emmett's train of thought.

"Jealous, Jazz?" Emmett asked jokingly. I couldn't help but notice the almost imperceptible nod of Jasper's head and bittersweet side-long glance at Alice.

Everyone in the family knew Alice was withholding on Jasper: both physically and emotionally, and had been for a very long time. Although the deterioration of their marriage had been evident for more than the past fifteen years, the week before Carlisle left for Italy things took a turn for the worst.

When Alice's visions became erratic and spotty just before our "father" was summoned to Volterra, my psychic sister was beyond frustrated. She took it out on everyone around her - especially Jasper. Though her odd behavior became almost like a routine over the past few years, it had been getting progressively worse since moving to Forks. That fact alone proved ironic since it was Alice who had adamantly insisted we move here in the first place. Carlisle had made the case that the Quileutes wouldn't make things easy for us despite the longstanding treaty we had forged with the wolves, but Alice practically had a temper tantrum stating that "we have to be in Forks or everything will be ruined".

In the past, Alice's behavior only became that petulant when she would be hit with an intense vision about something she found tremendously distressing. On several of these occasions she wouldn't share her thoughts or offer an explanation for the panic Jasper deemed to be hitting her with the force of a tsunami. No matter how much I tried to persuade her to share, she fully concentrated on blocking her mind from me, effectively rendering my gift useless in gaining insight into her erratic behavior. What made matters worse was that she would subsequently lock herself in her room only to come out after a day or two looking very relieved while acting as if she hadn't behaved strangely at all.

Most notably, Alice had an "episode", the most severe one to date, which was so lengthy that we were all concerned for her mental health. Thankfully it occurred over the holiday break from school in November so there was no need to explain her extended absence to the administrative office. When she finally left her self-imposed isolation, abounding with apologies for her past behavior and ready to return to school after Thanksgiving Break, I grew concerned for my sister after reading Jasper's mind. He was disturbed by the sense of accomplishment he felt coming from Alice when she left her room on that occasion, something we never could explain.

Jasper had determined his estranged wife's emotions conveyed such a strong sense of triumph that it bordered on the peculiar, especially since Alice had been involved in an emotional overload for close to a week despite the casual manner in which she tried to move past the incident afterwards. He and I never spoke about it specifically, but I knew he was keeping a peripheral view on the situation and that made me feel better. Despite my qualms with my potentially violent brother, he remained a loyal and vigilante protector of our entire family. It was good that all of the atrocities he had committed in his life before coming to the Cullens could be helpful in times of strife. It was one of his most redeeming qualities actually.

A few weeks after the incident I asked Alice what was troubling her since her mind still seemed unusually guarded from me. She was very cryptic about what had occurred during that enigmatic week and promised it was absolutely the last time she would ever have to endure those types of visions again. She said everything had finally worked out and the "problem" had been "taken care of" even though she wouldn't specify what the issue was in the first place. However profound Alice's visions had been, she blocked them from me at every turn, stating that "what was done was done" and she had "a brighter future to look forward to now".

Ignoring my thoughts on Alice's strange behavior and the current side-conversation between Em and Rose, I tried to refocus my siblings on the point of Carlisle's call. "Anyway," I announced in annoyance, "I'm sure she will need time to acclimate to the idea of being around humans since she'll be attending school with us so soon, as per your wishes of course." I was pleasantly surprised how successfully I maintained a respectful tone with my father while I was passively attempting to question my new sister's ability to assume a human role without incident. How could she be expected to attend high school like my father intended so soon after leaving the depravities of Volterra? The amount of faith he was putting in her was absolutely ridiculous considering he had only known her for around six weeks total.

"That won't be an issue at all, Son. Our little one has absolutely no interest in human blood. It's actually more like she has an aversion to it. In fact that was a major part of her issue living in Volterra, but we're definitely not going to get into that over the phone. Please just get the requisite paperwork tomorrow and let them know she will be there on Monday. And to answer your question, Rosalie, we will be arriving sometime in the next few days, more than likely tomorrow night if everything goes as planned."

"Is she there now? We would love to talk to her," Esme asked with a beaming smile as she met the eyes of her other surrogate "children". My mother couldn't wait to meet the girl that had captured my father's attention so whole-heartedly. _'I know he's attached to all of our children, but I can tell that she's different… My new daughter needs a mother so badly. She's vulnerable and innocent, but Carlisle says she's incredibly powerful too… I hope she accepts me. It's nice to be needed.'_

I must have given Esme a curious look after picking up her thoughts because she smiled pleasantly before switching her mind over to gardening techniques to cover up something I obviously wasn't supposed to know. I was certain Carlisle must have secretly shared more information with his wife than he had with the rest of us since we all thought the newest Cullen was just an ordinary orphaned newborn vampire who was surprisingly interested in our vegetarian lifestyle. He hadn't even shared her name with the rest of us yet, wanting her to make her own introductions to the family when they finally arrived on their extremely indirect route back.

"Sorry, Esme, but she went out dancing in town with the Denali sisters. They said they wanted to give her a 'proper send-off' and won't be back for some time. The Denalis have really taken to her, as I'm sure you all will too." As much as I respected our family's patriarch, I couldn't help but wonder how Carlisle could be so reckless as to let a newborn go into town being supervised by three sex-crazed vampires?

"Woah Dad, did you really let a baby vampire run off alone with three succubae?" Emmett asked incredulously, almost like _he_ read _my_ mind.

"Don't worry, Emmett, she's very responsible and is quite capable of keeping herself safe. You'll just have to trust me on that for now though. Besides, if anything she will be a good influence on the Denali girls. Now, I really must be getting back to Carmen and Eleazar now. We will see you all very soon. Stay safe, my family," he said solemnly before ending the call.

Alice slipped into a vision the moment Carlisle disconnected the phone. All I could make sense of from her hasty thoughts were palm trees and rack after rack of clothes and shoes. When she regained her focus, she turned to Rosalie with a knowing smirk.

"I know you're going to be a little disappointed, but it looks like we're going to miss their arrival tomorrow, Rose. There's going to be a big storm over California for the next week which will provide plenty of cloud cover for us to finally visit. You and I won't get another chance to shop Rodeo Drive like this for a very long time if we don't take advantage now. We'll have to miss a few days of school next week, but we'll just say it was for the flu since it has been going around. I know you must be as sad as I am not to be here to meet our new sister, but this is perfect timing for the new spring season clothing lines to be released," Alice spoke rapidly, completely ignoring Rose's uncomfortable expression.

I already assumed that Rose's overwhelming excitement for the female newborn coming to live with us stemmed from having another opportunity to have the sister she always wanted but could never find in Alice. Alice had always been closer to me than she was even with her own husband so I was a little confused at her sudden enthusiasm to take Rose away at a time when so much was happening in the Cullen household. It was clear, however, Alice was very enthusiastic about getting away.

"Oh, well that kinda sucks since I was really looking forward to meeting her tomorrow-ish. Um, alright I guess. I have wanted to shop the L.A. boutiques for a while now. When do we leave? Maybe we should bring Em's Jeep so we have room for all of our packages," Rose stated, her voice strained.

"In two hours and we should just take separate cars so we can go to different stores and have plenty of room for our bags," Alice answered quickly, annoyed at her reluctant sister's half-hearted agreement. Rosalie nodded in understanding, thinking she was glad she wouldn't have to chit-chat with Alice for hours on the way there if they were in different vehicles. Mentally preparing herself for the physical and emotional pain of the mating pull which came from leaving Emmett behind, she hurriedly grabbed his hand to drag him to their bedroom for a quick romp before her departure.

As soon as Rose and Em shut their door, Jasper glanced at me before turning his attention completely to his estranged wife. "Why did you lie to Rose just now, Alice?" Jasper asked her quietly. "You're not sad about missing their arrival at all. In fact, you're… relieved, jealous, and so full of hatred that I'm actually kind of speechless. What the hell is going on with you?"

"Leave it alone, okay? I just don't want _her_ here," Alice snapped.

"Why not?" Jasper asked, confused. "We don't know anything about her yet - not even her name. How can you so blindly hate someone you don't even know?"

"Fine!" Alice huffed, "She's the reason my visions have been so messed up lately. I'm sure of it. I see everyone together and then the spotty parts happen when she is nearby. I know she lives here because I've seen her room, but she's never in my visions directly… ever. No one is when _she's_ around. When Carlisle got the call to go to Italy to… retrieve her, I thought she would just provide some entertainment for you all and then things would go back to normal, but _this_ girl's wrecking things for me too!"

"Too? What are you talking about? Who else are you talking about?" I asked, taking in her wild eyed expression.

"It doesn't matter anymore. I just don't want to be replaced or forgotten because of this new girl," Alice said with an accusatory look to both me and Jasper. "I can already see the rest of you enjoying everything about your new little playmate and I don't like being cast aside. None of you seem to even care that my visions are disrupted by her. Don't I matter too?" My brother looked at Alice with more sympathy than I had seen from him towards her in a long time. He felt bad for her insecurity, but focused on the portion of her feelings that made him worried that her wounded behavior was a carefully calculated manipulation as he believed most things were in their marriage.

Getting the gist of her emotional palate from reading the mind of my suddenly tongue-tied empathic brother, I addressed Alice myself. I made sure to remain mindful of the frustration I would undoubtedly feel from losing my own inherent power since it had become such an engrained part of me. "Have you seen all of that in a vision, Alice, or are you just being paranoid?" I asked, carefully choosing my words to avoid any kind of inferred insult to the hot-tempered pixie.

Knowing his estranged wife always relied too heavily on her gift to interact with others, I could hear in his thoughts that Jasper didn't know what to say to avoid Alice's temper either. She had changed so much in the last few years that it was difficult to know what would set her off anymore. Sending out a blanket of calm, Jasper said evenly, "I'm sorry you feel that way, Alice. But don't you think we should at least give her a chance first? It's not like she's doing it on purpose, and maybe with practice she can learn to control it. You just need to look on the brighter side of things until then. Besides the fact that Esme hasn't been this happy in years, Rosalie's already been in such a better mood with the idea of a baby sister for her to play with that her usually heavy emotions have been awesome for me lately - Emmett too."

"So happy for _you_, Jazz," Alice said sarcastically, giving him an evil glare as she stepped towards him menacingly. "It's so wonderful that everything is working out perfectly for you, isn't it?" My pixie sister declared hatefully before turning on her tiny heels and fleeing towards the bedroom she formerly occupied with her husband who had long since taken up residence in his study.

As she stomped away, she was muttering under her breath quietly, "I was so busy taking care of the other problem… I just didn't see this bitch coming. I'm a seer. I'm not supposed to get blind-sided." Jasper sighed, exasperated, but scowling when he saw my questioning eyebrow raised quizzically at the interaction between the separated couple.

"Everything okay?" I asked him as compassionately as possible after hearing Alice slam the bedroom door unnecessarily.

"No. Ever since Carlisle was asked to go to Volterra to assist with that newborn, Alice has been incredibly hostile with me – even worse than usual." Jasper sighed in frustration and I suddenly felt a compassion for him that I hadn't thought possible. He must have felt that and my curiosity so he explained swiftly, "It was Alice's idea to start to distance ourselves from each other in the first place, and although she says she's fine with it I know she's faking because her emotions give off nothing but resignation and unpredictable amounts of jealousy. How do you make the decision to stay steadfast in envy? That's the state of mind Alice has been living in for years; I don't understand her at all anymore. Have you gotten anything from her mind that might help me figure this whole thing out?"

"No," I quickly refused with a clipped tone. "Sorry, but you know I'm not comfortable with meddling into relationships like that. Unless it affects the family I try to keep it to myself."

"Fine, Edward, but remember that little mantra the next time you invade my mental privacy and see something you don't like," Jasper grumbled before leaving to go to his study to be alone again. I couldn't help but feel bad for my brother. I knew Alice already signed the final divorce papers and was biding her time to give them to Jasper. The only thing I wasn't sure of was what caused the dramatic change in Alice and Jasper's relationship over a decade and a half ago and why was she bothering to wait to officially end their marriage after all this time.

"Hey, Jazz," I called out as he reached the top of the stairs, feeling sympathy for him as he plodded away. "The only thing I will say is that lately she's been thinking a lot about the past, nothing specific though. She's been reminiscing a lot over odd things ever since Carlisle left. I don't know if that's exactly helpful, but it isn't like I'm divulging any secrets either. I haven't been paying too much attention though since I've been distracted with thoughts of our new… um, sister. Did you know Carlisle thinks she should get along well with me?"

"Yeah, but just remember she's young in both human and vampire years and this isn't a pre-arranged marriage or anything." I smiled heartily at the prospect and Jasper chuckled at my obvious exuberance.

'_Be careful, Edward. That kind of excitement typically leads to the kind of hormonal teenage experiences that you have been avoiding for over a century.' _I growledat Jasper for laughing at my expense until I realized he was just using my plight as a momentary distraction from his troubles regarding Alice. Despite how uncomfortable I was with the subject matter, I forgave his taunting given the frustrating perpetual-limbo of his marriage. The fact that he still felt a sense of responsibility towards Alice, one that was completely unreciprocated, would make life very complicated.

Sensing my unease with the conversation as a perfect opportunity for some friendly brotherly antagonization, Jasper projected his pondering thoughts at me with a half-smile on his face. _'What would the movie version of Edward's lack of sexual exploits look like considering his advanced age? If a movie about a virgin could be so funny with only forty years of blue balls, how could almost three times that not be the blockbuster hit of all time?'_

I growled at him again while Jasper walked away chuckling. "Thanks, Edward," he said before purposely contemplating a hypothetical cast for the fake movie about my enduring virginity.

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. :) Thanks!


	2. First Impressions

**-Il Demone Bellissima-**

*Chapter 2 – First Impressions*

Friday at School - Edward's Point of View

"Dude, you should have been more discreet getting that new student paperwork for our little sister," Emmett said with a chuckle as he sat down with his carefully chosen pretend lunch. Without the women there we usually spent our cafeteria time in relative silence, but everyone in Forks High seemed to be extra-observant of us today.

Knowing we would have to play up the human act under their intense scrutiny, we each made sure to get more than an apple or a bottle of water for "lunch". We were all careful to pick items we could move around on our plates but were difficult to discern whether we had actually eaten anything or not.

"Why would there be a need for subterfuge in getting a new student's documents, Emmett?" I couldn't help my condescending tone as I questioned my brother.

"Well, you guys know I usually don't mind talking to the kids in some of my classes, right? It makes me feel good when people attempt a conversation with me, even if they look like they might wet themselves while doing it. Okay… especially then, but last period I was approached by several brave boys and girls to find out more information on our newest sibling - information I don't even have. I looked like an ass."

"Ah, that makes better sense why I overheard Lauren Mallory saying something about hoping 'it's a boy who looks like Edward'. I thought maybe she was pregnant," Jasper laughed, mentally adding ideas about the awful way teenage girls talked to and about each other. I knew Jasper was only telling a half-truth, purposely omitting the rest of Lauren's comment for Emmett's sake since it involved the school trollop complaining about the possibility about having another 'prissy bitch like Rosalie' around.

"Sorry, guys. I got the paperwork last period and should have known something like this would happen after I heard Jessica Stanley's over-excited thoughts in line behind me." I glanced around the room, listening in to the different streams of conscious thought which were indeed all on the same subject – the mysterious new Cullen.

Thoughts and speculation around the room left a lot to be desired for me. Most of the kids were having fantasies of what it would be like to suddenly find themselves adopted by Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, primarily under the premise of some very X-rated themes involving my entire family – all being extremely sexual _together_. It was understandable why they were interested in the new student just not why they thought it was reasonable that the Cullens spent their weekends involved in family orgies on the dining room table. What was wrong with the youth of America today?

I knew a new student would typically garner a lot of attention in such a small town, but the gossip regarding our newest adopted sibling was growing in proportion because of my family's already enigmatic status. At least that was understandable since we had all done our fair share of speculating ourselves, so it was plausible for the humans to be interested as well.

The common theory amongst my siblings was that our new sister would have to be extremely compassionate to only want to drink from animals despite her naturally unquenchable newborn thirst. We assumed that since the Volturi knew nothing of our "unorthodox lifestyle", they requested Carlisle come and retrieve the troublesome newborn from the castle, as she was apparently hindering their group feedings on the tourists for some reason or another.

Potential explanations as to why the problematic new vampire was not simply destroyed ran the gambit of her having a relationship with one or all of the brothers to her being a secret Volturi spy sent to record our activities. Her presence in our forever stagnant lives was nothing less than entertaining and she hadn't even arrived yet.

"I can understand the immense curiosity I'm feeling from them about her because I share that sentiment, but why this premature lust-crazed mania? It is really strange since they don't even know what she looks like. Hell, _they_ don't even know that she is a _she_," Jasper commented in bewilderment, following my eyeline as we simultaneously scanned the room. This was difficult for both of us considering we were experiencing different parts of the same hysteria about our new sister vicariously through the human crowd.

Emmett chuckled at the students as they got caught staring in our direction, only to look away in fear and embarrassment moments later. Emmett stated amusedly, "From what I overheard, they are expecting the newbie to be equally as hot as the rest of us. According to the latest gossip, Carlisle and Esme are always searching for new kids, but they must have attractive physical attributes and mentally gifted criteria to even be considered worthy of taking on the Cullen name."

"I don't understand how this is possible since they don't even know what she looks like, but they're already fantasizing about her. It's really ridiculous, especially that creepy Newton kid," I stated disgustedly. "I don't know how I'll be able to bare it when she's actually here. Carlisle said that she is striking even by vampire standards, so I can only imagine how much worse this is going to be on Monday."

Replying quickly, Jasper said, "I can't believe she wants to be a 'vegetarian' as a newborn, let alone attend high school with us." I watched as Jasper became lost in his thoughts about the level of restraint it would take for one so young to even attempt our lifestyle. He couldn't help but envy her, but his realization that the prospect of learning more about her was the first thing he had been excited for in months. That revelation had a sobering effect on me as well.

Distracted by my own thoughts about the Alice and Jasper situation, I almost didn't notice the group of sophomore girls who entered the cafeteria and proceeded to walk past our table with purpose. They were making their intention obvious, trying to flirt with us after seeing Rosalie and Alice weren't there. Their thoughts were all centered on a similar fantasy about me and my two brothers in a hot tub with the three of them. All suspiciously similar in detail, I determined they must have cooked up that scenario together before sauntering by us. Completely opposite of their intention, I found their seductive gestures cloying and totally repellant.

Jasper's soft groan distracted me from my disgust with the hormone-driven teenage girls as I turned my attention to my perplexing brother. With a grunt he reluctantly imitated eating, following the gesture by tipping his water bottle back as if taking a large sip of the unnecessary liquid. He looked so despondent, angry and confused as he pretended to eat, I decided to try to make sense of his mood change the only way I knew how.

With the strain of the humans in the room testing his emotional balance, he was recalling his wife's parting words in the midst of the sexually charged situation we now found ourselves._ 'How am I going to deal with all this lust? Alice said for me to do whatever the hell I felt like since I've got no self-control anyway. What was that even supposed to mean? I know she doesn't care if I fool around with another girl, why would she when she hasn't touched me in years, but why would she encourage me? It still seems kinda like cheating until she gives me those damn divorce papers I know she's got hidden in her fucking shoe closet.'_ My eyes widened slightly when I realized he knew what Alice had done to finalize their divorce, yet he hadn't called her out on it for some reason. What in the world was going on with them?

In response to my brother's musings, I interjected with an attempt to redirect all of our verbal and mental musings. "Carlisle must have told Esme more about _her_ than what he explained to us because Esme had certain thoughts which were really interesting during our group phone call last night. I can't wait to finally meet this girl and see what could have sparked his vote of confidence in trusting her lack of bloodlust." That and I wanted to see why he had deemed her to be so special - so unique.

"Yeah, I think we should leave early and hunt so we're on our game. Tonight should definitely be eventful," Emmett chuckled, already planning ways he could convince his new sister to taunt some bears with him.

****************** Later That Day ********************

Bella's Point of View

"Sir, would you mind if I went exploring a little before meeting everyone. I think getting acclimated to their scents might make me more comfortable initially," I said while looking at the floor nervously.

"That would be fine, little one. I know you are feeling restless, nervous to meet the others. Besides, we arrived much earlier than I had anticipated. I severely underestimated how your promise to visit the Denalis would work in getting them to let us leave in a timely fashion." I couldn't help but smile about the implication.

I practically had to draw up a contract stating when I would return to Denali so the girls could "broaden my horizons" again, or attempt to as they had tried with a string of attractive human men I simply wasn't interested in no matter how much they tried to entice me. I didn't really think they had a problem with it since they reaped the benefits of my rejection each time. In any case, those girls really enjoyed themselves and their family bond. It was something to be envied actually, so they needn't have worried I would return to visit soon.

"Take your time looking around since Esme will be meeting us here in roughly two hours, just in time for your new brothers to get back from school. According to the note Esme left, your introductions to the girls will sadly have to be postponed until they return from their poorly timed trip. I just can't understand why Alice and Rose suddenly felt compelled to go shopping in California, but at least the boys will be here to greet you properly. Please try to be back by then or I can guarantee Esme's excitement will get the better of her and she will send out a search party after you. She's quite eager to get to know you after all and would likely be concerned with you being unaccompanied in a new environment."

I smiled at the idea of someone being worried about me. Since becoming immortal, people have been more than happy to test my abilities and hide behind me with very little concern over the risk to my body or mind. The Volturi had shown me as much kindness as they were capable, but because I am such an anomaly there was too much interest in my abilities to forego a barrage of excruciating and embarrassing tests under the direction of a certain, very cruel vampire.

That was until Carlisle arrived, however. After he was involved, I felt safer because I knew I had someone far enough removed from the situation to make a difference, who thought of me as something more than just an interesting experiment or a valuable possession. Carlisle made it so much harder for my persecutor to have exclusive access to me with just his nurturing presence alone. It didn't make it impossible to avoid the abuse, only slightly more difficult, but that was still much better than how things were before he saved me from the promise of my eternity of torture.

Respectfully, I nodded my head to reassure my new 'father'. "I promise I will stay away from the treaty line you showed me and stick close to the property where I can smell the scents of your family, Sir."

"They're your family now also, little one." He clasped my hands in his, trying to make me feel welcome even more than he already had.

"I can't thank you enough for everything you have done for me, Sir," I said quietly, throwing myself into the outstretched arms of my new father figure. I gripped him tightly, burrowing my face into his soft and fuzzy light blue sweater. When he didn't let go right away, I knew he was remembering our traumatic first embrace, holding me slightly tighter because of it.

As Carlisle later explained, he had just arrived at the castle and was being updated by Masters Marcus and Aro on my unique transformation from human to vampire when they all heard loud crackling noises and my blood-curdling scream from one of the inner chambers beyond the main hall. They all sped into the room knowing the sound they heard could only have come from a vampire because of the decibel. Carlisle and my two Kings were shocked to find out what Master Caius was doing to me, but more so to understand how long it had been going on when confronted by the evidence which made it painfully obvious to them.

When they entered the room I was strapped down to the table on my stomach with my back fully exposed to my captor. My head was turned to the side at an awkward angle to make it easier for him to pour the human blood into my mouth which was being held open by a clamp between my teeth. Helpless and ragged, I was lost in a sea of my own misery and futile desire to protest against the feeling of being drowned, knowing I couldn't resist no matter how hard I fought. Everything blurred before my eyes in the flurry of movements and even though I was choking on the blood in between tearless sobs, I heard the commotion long before I understood I was actually being saved.

The brothers demanded to know what he had been doing to me and the Devil himself was very put out to reply that he was simply trying to learn about my limitations and teach me to be a proper member of his Guard. I still didn't understand it fully at the time, but Carlisle later determined I have an almost allergic reaction to human blood. I was already very aware that it made me weak, as this accounted for the effectiveness of the restraints and allowing for my open wounds not to heal normally. When I ingested the blood, my vampiric healing properties become hindered so Master Caius was able to whip me with his favorite titanium-studded cat-of-nine to inflict his punishments with maximum damage.

The memory of my suffering at Master Caius' cruel hands was not something I was going to allow to ruin my day. Today was going to be a great day for me since I would be meeting my new family, a family which would provide some semblance of safe harbor - for a short time at least.

After finishing the school year and learning more about the animal-drinking lifestyle, I would be acting as the American liaison to the Volturi since I could single-handedly carry out their missions without leaving the brothers vulnerable by using Jane or Alec outside of the castle too often. If I did this whenever it was requested, I would be allowed a modicum of freedom and the ability to maintain a permanent residence within the Olympic Coven, far away from Master Caius' cruelty.

Though Carlisle wouldn't tell me much about my new family other than their names in order to form my own opinions when we all finally met, I already felt more at ease in his home than I ever did in Volterra. I had considered that comfort may have come from knowing Master Caius was half a world away, but I knew I enjoyed the familial quality of Carlisle's cozy home too much to discount it outright.

I finally broke the hold I had on my rescuing hero and left without saying another word to Carlisle. With thoughts of what had been and was to come pushed aside temporarily, I ran carefree through the trees and over fallen logs with grace I somehow knew I never possessed as a human. According to Carlisle, I was extremely fast even by vampire standards and since my senses were also even more acute than others of my kind I could hunt with deadly accuracy and stealth from a greater distance. That party trick was something which always entertained the human-drinking Guard members tasked with shadowing me on a hunt, watching from a high vantage point as I zoomed around the wilderness to take down my prey. My unusual diet left a lot of questions amongst the Volturi vampires, but I had no answers for them until Masters Marcus and Aro called Carlisle for guidance. Even without knowing the physiological reason, I automatically seemed to realize human blood was not for me, seeking out any feral animals I found roaming about the castle grounds at first – mostly cats and an embarrassing amount of rats in the early days.

As a large gust of wind whipped through the majestic trees, I shuddered in delight from something other than the prospect of my next meal. I caught the scent of a vampire which I recognized from the house as belonging to one of my new family members. As quickly as I took in the aroma, I picked up on something especially interesting about the sudden compulsion I was experiencing to seek out the source of the delicious smell clinging to the breeze like a passionate caress. The draw to find the owner of the indescribable fragrance was persistent and demanding, completely intriguing to me as I had never before experienced something instinctual to this degree besides the basic desire to quench my never-ending thirst.

Excited to make their acquaintance, I hurried in the direction of the amazingly intoxicating aroma when I got distracted by the sound of a loud, fast heartbeat close by. Ever the opportunistic hunter, I reluctantly put off my introduction to the yummy smelling vampire for the moment and spotted my prey a few hundred yards ahead of me.

If I was still human, my stomach would have growled as I realized how thirsty I suddenly was. With the fiery burn in my throat dictating my need for blood, I sprang into action immediately, reaching my target in seconds. No sooner had I leapt forward towards the unsuspecting animal, I was harshly tackled to the forest floor by a snarling vampire, obviously feeling territorial and apparently angry at me for advancing on the same mountain lion he had chosen.

We growled ferociously as we struggled for the dominant position in a flurry of rolling and twisting to overpower each other. For some reason, neither of us struck nor bit even when the slim moment of opportunity presented itself. That was an odd reaction considering how proficient we both seemed to be with different fighting techniques. This was an intriguing situation and I somehow knew that this was something I had to let play out before using one of my gifts to over-power him.

It was clear he was a master in battle, a scarred warrior by the look of his exposed skin and feel of his strong, purposeful movements. Despite knowing what these obvious clues meant, I felt remarkably comfortable with him. Deciding it would be easier to assess the odd situation if I allowed the other vampire the perception of supremacy, I pretended to be overwhelmed by him. I purposely let him position his body above me, pinning me underneath his muscular physique where I quickly realized I would have been happy to stay for the foreseeable future.

Not wanting to give my deceptive tactic away or provide a reason for him to distance himself from me, I continued to engage him from my seemingly diminutive position. I learned quickly that male vampires always fell for this trick, as it seemed to feed into their animalistic urges for dominance. Even though I couldn't see his face clearly, mostly blocked by his loosely curled blonde hair, I knew my tactic was working and had to force away my secret smile of triumph.

As he hovered above me I kept struggling to make the ruse convincing, moving my hands to his face to force his head to the side abruptly in an attempt to use the momentum to roll us over. He had a similar idea in holding me down though, so neither of us was successful and the resulting stalemate left us with our hands grasping each other as if to pull a lover in for a kiss.

With his large, masculine hands wrapped around the back of my neck, I exaggeratedly huffed in the semblance of frustration and instantly recognized his scent to be the same Cullen I smelled in the woods. Convinced he was no longer a threat despite the fact that my body seemed to have understood that significant truth the moment we touched, my eyes widened at the driving need I had felt moments before to find this same vampire who was now tangled in my arms.

The aromatic masterpiece that was the blonde vampire holding me 'captive' hit me fully a moment later. Struggling now to keep from smiling, I had to fight the urge not to lick him or moan at all of his deliciousness. He smelled like a crisp autumn day, of warm, delicious apples and dark, earthy aromas, a satisfying blend of masculinity with a hint of something sweet underneath. Simply delectable. Perhaps I should have licked him after all.

Settling on top of me with all of his weight, I was surprised at the unusual amount of trust I had already displayed towards the stranger by allowing the close personal contact since that was very unlike me and definitely in violation of my combat training. Almost as if he sensed my sincere comfort with him, he leaned down and sensuously nuzzled my neck, sighing as he deeply inhaled my scent in return.

I seemed to be running on pure instinct now because before I could stop myself, I turned my head to allow him better access to my exposed neck for his extremely erotic gesture, completely disregarding the inherent risk involved. With his head in the crook of my neck, I was instantly rewarded with my body springing to life like it got hit with a live current of electricity. Every molecule in my body jolted to full attention and I moaned, having no choice but to release some of the culminating tension in that very primal sound.

Pulled out of the strangely intimate moment, I heard a deep rumble very different than any growl I had ever encountered before. I realized we were both making a weird reverberating purr-like sound while trying to nestle into each other even closer.

Being startled by the same sound or possibly the reality of what we were doing had caught up with him, he tensed instantly. By the way his nostrils flared slightly, I gathered he had just noticed Carlisle's aroma lingering on me from our earlier hug. He repositioned himself at a more respectful distance, though still holding me in place beneath him with his lower body. I began to struggle again just for show and he looked pleased with either himself or my efforts; I couldn't be sure, but it was hard not to smile back slightly at his contagious smirk of satisfaction.

Even though I could easily overpower him, I enjoyed the closeness of this vampire for some reason I would try to determine later. Now that the weird sounds we were making had subsided and we stilled our wrestling on the forest floor, I felt almost completely at ease. Relaxed in a way that felt so foreign to me, I realized quickly it was the first time since I woke up in my current indestructible condition that I wasn't mentally struggling for security. I was truly comfortable and fearful the moment was fleeting, worried I would never encounter this elusive, perfect feeling again.

It wasn't until I noticed him staring at my mouth with obvious hunger that I became hyper-aware of our intimate position with my legs wrapped tightly around his narrow waist. I sighed loudly and smiled at him brightly, but he seemed confused for a moment before hesitantly smiling back. I used this as a perfect opportunity to flip us over so I was straddling him instead, making myself feel more empowered in the process.

As soon as he was underneath me, I fully recognized him from more than just a familiar scent in the Cullen house. I knew of him from Volterra, both through his appearance and reputation. This vampire was almost as dangerous as me and somehow we had managed not to hurt, maim, or kill each other. I couldn't wait to ask Master Marcus, knowing he'd recognize the situation as noteworthy.

Finding himself in the more vulnerable position, one he was probably very unaccustomed to, he growled and squinted his golden eyes which were drowning in the depths of his midnight black pools. I just giggled in response, something he was obviously not expecting as he growled even louder, slightly insulted. I should have been nervous, but I could sense his insincere aggression and playfulness hiding behind his seemingly angry eyes. After his struggling became obvious as ineffective, he stopped making noise and started staring at me as if searching my face for some kind of answer to a question that had not yet been asked.

This was certainly not the best first encounter I've ever had with someone, but it was by no means the worst. In fact, this was going to make for an interesting story for Carlisle when we arrived home looking completely disheveled from our tussle. I loved wrestling and play fighting, so I almost preferred this over the awkward introductions I was anticipating. It was the ultimate ice-breaker since I wasn't sure how I was going to randomly introduce myself to him anyway when I had first become aware of his presence near me in the woods.

Choosing to end the quiet appraisals of each other, I finally spoke, "It is nice to meet you, Major Jasper Whitlock. I'm Bella Volturi. I'm very sorry for rudely impeding your hunt like that, but I'm still new to other vampires stalking the same prey as me. In Volterra, some of the Guard used to come with me to watch just out of curiosity, but they kept their distance considering they were really only there to make sure I didn't escape. Anyway, I never had competition for dinner before, so I apologize for ruining yours. I promise to make it up to you."

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. Let me know if you have a question. I'd be happy to answer. :) Thanks!


	3. The Major's Command

**-Il Demone Bellissima-**

*Chapter 3 – The Major's Command*

Jasper's Point of View

Several things occurred to me simultaneously following Bella's quickly spoken introduction. First, she used the word "escape", so she was clearly being held prisoner by the Volturi in some capacity, though it vexed me why they would let her hunt animals freely with a chaperone in the distance. Second, she seemed completely at ease with me even though I had essentially just attacked her. But, most importantly, she used my rank and original surname, something Carlisle always refrained from doing in order to avoid sparking recognition of my sordid past in those he encountered. That would only mean that she became aware of my name through some other means.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bella, but would you mind telling me how you came to associate me by my former name?" I could feel her instant embarrassment before it disappeared completely, much to my surprise. I wondered if maybe she could block my powers just like she seemed to be doing to Alice.

"Well, along with a few others, there is a picture of you at the front desk of the castle. You are to be considered a potential security risk of the highest priority if ever spotted in Volterra. Not a kill on sight kind of thing, more like a 'call all of the Guard back to the Castle even if they're off-duty' sort of thing."

I laughed heartily at her statement, remembering an old wanted poster of myself that I wished I grabbed from a mining town around the turn of the previous century. I was wanted for questioning in connection with the disappearance of several local people seen leaving the saloon around the same time as a man fitting my description. The town's Sheriff certainly deserved some credit for his stellar investigatory skills since I was well aware of the fate of those missing people. Two of them ended up as my dinner and one was turned by me and culled after his newborn year following Maria's termination orders.

Seeing her inquisitive look at my clearly bemused expression, I wanted to explain. "Sorry I got day-dreamy, but that's not my first wanted poster, Darlin'." Seemingly put at ease by my smile which came from the idea of seeing my picture displayed in that way again, Bella revealed a shy smirk of her own. I couldn't help but feel her embarrassment which was so strong it would typically equate to a human blushing intensely. With that thought in mind, it wasn't difficult to get distracted with the idea of her as a human, her warm flesh tinted red from the blood gathering in her cheeks. Her coquettish emotions were sending my brain into a spiral of imagery that was not appropriate given the present company.

I didn't have to wonder for long what caused her reaction, as Bella suddenly blurted, "I really don't know why, but I spent hours looking at your picture… uh, you know, for security reasons." My eyes widened to a comical degree when I picked up on a palpable amount of lust coming off of her, battling with her embarrassment for the prevailing position. Trying to avoid Bella feeling my very obvious physical reaction to her as a result, I scooted out from underneath her quickly.

I had gotten a fairly decent look at her angelic face while we were wrestling, but with a few feet of distance between us I realized just how spectacularly attractive she was. The daydreams everyone had been having about her were definitely not going to do her justice, of that I was certain. She was absolutely beautiful and smelled so enticing, like succulent summer fruits that made me wish I could just lick her to find out if anything could ever taste as decadent as she smelled.

When I had first tackled her the only reason I didn't try to seriously hurt her was because I was so enamored by her alluring fragrance. Thank goodness for that too because if I had bitten her Esme would have had my head mounted above the fireplace within the hour.

I turned away slightly to help hide the prominent bulge in my pants and hopefully reduce the risk of committing additional infractions of less-than brotherly behavior towards the innocent-looking baby vampire. I was slightly shaken by the odd encounter, but more upset with the realization that I had enjoyed our previous positions to a disturbing degree and wanted to repeat that as soon as possible.

Considering I was technically still married and definitely shouldn't have been thinking of the newest Cullen sibling in such a sexual context, I tried to distract myself by looking at anything but her shapely body or tempting lips. My sense of responsibility was getting to me since I would hate to hurt my family or even that disgruntled woman I was unfortunately still required by law to call a wife. I tried to reason with myself that nothing really happened between me and Bella anyway, but somehow I already knew how inaccurate the statement truly was on some level. I was certain I was feeling an unmistakable sense of guilt for a reason; something had shifted in a very substantial way even if I hadn't determined exactly how yet.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop replaying the memory of her beneath me, the feel of her soft skin under my fingertips, the intoxicating aroma of her hair curtained around us as she straddled me. Surprising myself even further by my erotic thoughts, I realized I wanted to do something just to antagonize her so she would tackle me and I could feel her body pressed up against me again. I needed to figure out how to get her mad enough that she'd throw me down so I could pull her with me, but not so much that she'd hate me for it. Wait a second, what the hell was going on with me to even entertain those crazy ideas?

"I'm sorry I made you so uncomfortable, Major. I enjoyed the… closeness also, but I apologize for whatever I did that made you feel so guilty… and mischievous," Bella said with a quirked eyebrow at the last part of her assessment.

I was confused by something in her comment for a moment before deciding that I was definitely not projecting my emotions on her. Slightly shocked at the prospect of her potentially possessing a similar ability to mine, I curiously asked, "Are you an empath too, Bella?"

She stayed quiet as she dusted herself off and smiled at me before turning around to run deeper into the forest at a speed which would put Edward to shame. I wasn't sure if I had heard her right because she got away from me so fast, but as she sprinted into the dense tree bank I thought I heard her say, "I am now."

Confused by what she meant but excited by the prospect of having another empath around, I followed behind her as quickly as I could. I was finally able to catch up to Bella by the river at the back of the property where I could see even from a distance that she was hunting. Stealthily stalking a herd of deer drinking by the water, I watched with incredible interest as she remained an unusually far distance from her prey.

I was astounded to witness Bella rapidly close the distance at that perfect moment when the deer bent down to take a drink from the river. With unbelievable precision, she snapped the neck of two of them and grabbed a third in mere seconds. I licked my lips at the sight of her in predator mode, recognizing her to be easily as vicious as she was beautiful.

Standing beside the two dead deer, she had just sunk her teeth into the exposed neck of her captive one and began to drink greedily when I felt the heat of her fiery gaze on me. While keeping her eyes locked on mine, I neared the scene cautiously. I groaned shamefully loud from the strain of everything as I got closer, noticing the way she was in complete control of her instincts since her doe eyes partially remained their burnt range color despite the hunt.

Bella then did something yet again that I was not expecting, she urged me closer with a subtle tilt of her head in the direction of the downed deer furthest from her. This was a highly unusual prospect since we had only just met, but I was inclined to accept her apparent peace offering to make up for the meal she cost me with the mountain lion. Feeding so closely to another vampire usually triggered territorial urges and tension, but feeling her emotions led me to believe this was an act of respect and honest appreciation towards me. The only thing that was left to question about the unique situation was why she felt that way towards me at all. Why was she feeling respect and appreciation when most cringed at the mere sight of me?

Sure, I was flattered that she held me in such high regard, but it was not the typical reaction most vampires had upon meeting me. In fact, Bella was the first vampire, all of the Cullens - Alice included- who had ever looked at the sight of my scarred face and body without even a hint of revulsion or fear. It was oddly unsettling, but a welcome change nonetheless. I felt completely at ease with Bella and quickly walked over to her offering to make use of the bounty she provided while the blood was still warm.

She watched me closely as she finished her deer and moved slowly towards the next without ever removing her gaze from mine. As if she was studying every nuance of my body while I fed, I felt extremely exposed and highly aroused at the sight of her clearly amorous stare. The heightened tension caused me to drink ravenously while I watched in fascination as Bella slowly stalked closer to me and reached for the last remaining deer which was sprawled between us.

Ignoring the fact that now that Bella had moved closer all traces of color had fled her obsidian stare, she positioned the third deer in her hands and cradled its head, all the while maintaining our visceral visual connection before she bit down hard on its neck. With our eyes locked in hunger for more than just blood, I finished my deer quickly and moved closer to get a better vantage point to watch the breathtaking beauty claim her meal.

With her expressive eyes transfixed on me, she once again urged me to come closer, sending an overlapping emotion of calm and acceptance to help me agree to her strange gesture. She wanted to share this one as well. Given her mood and body language, I took a chance and kneeled down on the opposite side of Bella's current deer, accepting her invitation through a lust-filled haze despite the danger in the prospect for both of us.

I could feel her almost automatic trust in me and that was a scary notion in itself because I really did not want to disappoint her. I wanted to do so much for her… and _with_ her if she'd let me. I growled lowly at the thought of how magnificent that would be after everything I had seen from her interaction with me so far.

Taking the risk even further, I suggestively licked my already bloodied lips and bent down close to Bella's face before unhurriedly pushing my teeth into the deer's neck across from her. As if I was biting into a luscious apple, the resulting pop made us both moan in satisfaction. We watched each other intently from inches away, quickly drinking down every last drop of the doe's warm blood while staring with hooded eyes, memorizing every detail of the moment.

I had never experienced something like what was happening between us in all the time I'd been around other vampires. Although Bella was young and new to our world, she too must have had some suspicion that something amazing was occurring. Slowly breaking the apparent trance we entered into, Bella reached her hand out and caressed the side of my face before running her fingers through my hair. I moaned at the contact, causing blood to sloppily trickle down the sides of my mouth. Bella's eyes were transfixed on my lips, almost as if she was fighting off the urge to lick them herself.

My resulting growl seemed to trigger a burst of lust from both of us. As if a gunshot signaling the beginning of a marathon, once the lifeless carcass fell from our hands we seemed directed by instinct. After lunging for each other in a whirl of movement, we ended our struggle with me settling on top of her again just like I had wanted. This aggressive action held no ill-will on either of our parts as we were instantly tangled in a passionate kiss before the dust settled.

Finding a forceful, steady rhythm with my body grinding against hers, we matched our kisses eagerly. Moaning into each other's mouths as we lost ourselves to the moment, happily forgoing any sense of time or obligation beyond making this embrace last as long as possible.

Fisting her hands in the back of my curly hair, she pulled my face impossibly close. I was delighted by her forcefulness and returned the unspoken sentiment gratefully. Sending Bella a heavy dose of happiness and acceptance, I returned to being the dominant party, a position I noted that she seemed all too content with relinquishing. Trying to convey the same sense of desire, my kiss was passionate and punishing – an undeniable claim.

With the experience heightened even further by the bit of blood still coating our lips, our movements took on an animalistic quality of unbridled kisses meant to devour each other. I had barley any sense left as I realized if I didn't stop us right then I wouldn't be able to. We were already lost in the rapture of the moment with no sign of stopping and if I waited much longer I wasn't sure I'd even want to. There was something practically existential happening between us that warranted further exploration, but I wanted to make sure she wouldn't regret anything… especially choosing _me_.

Wanting to simmer down the erotic charge in the air before we did something I know we would both absolutely enjoy but might think differently about later, I reluctantly pulled away from Bella. I knew that my resignation to slow things down was so thin that had she whimpered in the slightest I would not have stopped kissing her until morning – consequences be damned.

"I'm certain you can _feel_ how much I don't want to stop, but we really need to be getting back now," I grumbled against her neck, barely able to convince myself of my own sincerity. I realized that although I had managed to pull my mouth from hers, I had seemingly forgotten my own plan after mere seconds. Despite my intentions, I found my hands hadn't stopped roaming her wondrous body while my traitorous lips were busy making plans of their own. I trailed open-mouth kisses down her neck and along her collarbone just to savor the sweet taste of her skin, dazed by her presence.

Knowing I made my recently abandoned decision for a reason, I used all of my will-power to push myself off of her completely. With the additional space between us freeing my mind, I remembered that we were expected home very soon, something Bella was able to sense by the determined look on my face.

Huffing childishly, she grumbled, "Fine." She sat up and looked deep in thought for a moment before she stood to address me while we both began to straighten out our clothing. "That was pretty intense, Major. I would definitely be willing to go hunting with you again if you're up for it in the future."

"You just let me know when you're ready because I would definitely make time in my day to experience even half of whatever happened with you just now, Darlin'. Hell, I'm not even sure if intense is a strong enough word to describe that."

"I'm really glad you feel that way, Major, because I don't make a habit out of attacking random vampires for a quick make-out session whenever I go looking for a meal." Her flirty tone and feisty eyes seemed to show a glint of her fiery personality and I was not one to back away from an opportunity like that to tease this sweet girl.

"That is good to know," I said with a leer. "So are you saying I was your first?"

Sensing my intention for playful banter, Bella cocked her eyebrow and bit her lip in such a sexy way that I had to fight to stop from projecting a deep primal growl. "I hope you're my first for a lot of things, Major."

"Oh, Darlin', you're lucky I'm already dead because you could seriously kill a man with that kind of talk." I pulled the collar of my shirt away, fanning myself to tease her more thoroughly. She seemed to enjoy our spirited conversation, a smile firmly on her face until I caught her staring at the inch of skin I exposed near my neck when I tugged on my collar. Her innocent look faded to predatory for a moment before she promptly reinstated her sweet countenance. Despite her attempt to maintain a demure appearance, our recent wanton behavior notwithstanding, when she turned away I saw her lick her lips, her level of sexual need dominating all of her emotions.

Recognizing I could feel her empathically, she shook off whatever she was thinking to cause those lusty emotions while perfectly preserving her outward virtue. Bella looked around the forest happily, taking in her surroundings for what seemed like the first time if the awe-struck look on her face was anything to go by.

Without a word we started walking back towards the house with me leading the way even though I couldn't stop glancing at her over my shoulder. I began to feel her emotions swirling around us with such depth and magnitude I thought I might whimper under the slightly oppressive weight of them all.

While the devotion, respect, and admiration she felt were remarkable in their strength, they were accompanied by equal amounts of pain, anxiety, and fear which left me baffled. She was such a mystery to me and that was even before I met her. Now I was thoroughly confused of what to make of this amazing woman and her whirlwind emotions.

In addition to being unbelievably beautiful and deceptively powerful, she was also very caring, as I could feel concern for me radiating from her. Clearly tired of wondering about what I was deliberating on so intensely, Bella finally tapped my shoulder to get my attention. "Is something on your mind, Major?"

Choosing my words carefully, I stopped walking and leaned on the tree Emmett broke when he lost a game of 'Call of Duty' to me a few weeks before. "Yes, but I don't want you to feel obligated to answer." When she didn't object to hearing me out I continued, albeit begrudgingly, "I was wondering what happened to make you want to be a 'vegetarian' in the first place." I thankfully thought of that quickly enough to cover my real quandary regarding my strong attraction to her and what was actually going on in her mind to precipitate her feelings for me.

"For now, Major, let's just say I am extremely stubborn. Regretfully, I'm sure you will find out all about Italy soon, but I already made a promise to myself not to think of my Masters today if possible." With that revelation I understood her earlier emotions a bit better already, especially considering how familiar I was with the toll that kind of Master/Slave relationship can take on a person. I highly doubted Carlisle was capable of dealing with her concerns since he knew nothing of that bond, just a second-hand understanding of the concept – clinical in orientation.

"I see. I had a Mistress once myself, so I can appreciate the situation you're in a little better knowing that. If you feel like you need to talk with someone other than Carlisle you should know you can come to me any time. No one else in the family can really appreciate what that kind of relationship entails since they have all led very different lives in relative peace altogether, removed from the regular vampire world we both lived in before coming here."

She sighed softly and I watched her chest move as she did so, losing myself to thoughts of touching her satiny skin again. Breaking up my inappropriate daydreaming, Bella spoke thoughtfully, "Thank you, and to answer your previous question more precisely I was relieved when I found out I wouldn't be starving for eternity since human blood just doesn't work for me. This new situation is still a little surreal for me. Very freeing, exciting but scary – like skydiving for a human I'd bet."

I now had more questions than answers regarding her particular issues with her choice in diet, but I made mental note to talk to Carlisle first. Besides, I could easily relate to blindly entering a whole other world you didn't think existed. "I remember when I first found out there was a different way to live. Since I know you already know about my past, at least a little bit, you can see how I went from one extreme to another. I existed as a vicious killer for so long in a lifestyle which was the polar opposite to the Cullens' harmonious way of life that I hardly spoke for years after being welcomed into the family. It took some getting used to, especially since no one in the family could relate, but Carlisle and Esme did so much to make me feel accepted that it was hard to fight off the loving family vibe for long."

I expected her to laugh, smile at least, but her odd, complex emotions following my comment had me concerned. I didn't want to ruin our accord by manipulating them in anyway, so I waited for her to alleviate my worry.

With a pained sigh, she sounded unsteady when she finally responded. "I can certainly understand that. It's not that exactly that has me anxious though. I… shit, I can't believe I'm already breaking my promise to myself, but here goes…I… um, I am very afraid of being so far from Volterra. Not of harming humans, but being without a Master to pull me back from the proverbial edge. In Volterra, I had three." Her smile was fleeting, but haunting in its depths which lacked explanation.

"I quickly grew to respect and care deeply for Master Marcus and Master Aro, and as much as I loathe Master Caius being without any of their direction has left me feeling out of control in a way I can't explain - exposed and slightly unhinged maybe." I noticed her hands were shaking slightly as she tucked a bit of her gorgeous hair behind her ear, having fallen forward as she stared at the ground below my feet.

"No need to define it for me, Sweetness. I understand all too well. I never enjoyed the leash my sire had me on, but it served its purpose at the time well enough. I felt like a caged lion. I could be ferocious and violent, but knowing I would find myself back in my confines at some point was comforting until I could better learn to control myself - to trust my gift."

"Oh my god, yes, that's it exactly! I love Carlisle, but he has no idea. I know what I am capable of and can mostly handle myself just fine, but I really need to be reined in when I feel threatened or scared of hurting someone else because my reactions are a little unpredictable at times. Do you think… you… you know what, never mind. We just me and that's too much to ask."

My mental scream at her hesitation to complete that thought was deafening. I had no idea why the Major was shouting at me to encourage her to finish, but there was no argument from the "regular" me to the contrary of that mental demand. I think "we" both needed to hear what she intended to propose, having some understanding where the conversation was going and finding myself impatient to get there.

Carefully, I spoke, "You'll never get what you need in life without asking for what you want. I have a feeling I know what you are about to say and I want to encourage you to finish that sentence you attempted a moment ago."

"Would you consider… do you think you could be my Master now, Major?" she asked with bashful eyes. "I have a very good judge of character and I believe you will be a perfect fit for me."

"Oh sugar, you have no idea what you're capable of doing with your words, do you?" I practically moaned. I took a second to clear my head of all of the collected fantasies I had already amassed since the first time she called me 'Major', realizing that 'Master' might be my undoing. "We'll see what Carlisle thinks, Darlin', but I have absolutely no problem with helping you out in that way. In fact, it would be my honor, lovely Miss Bella."

Closing the distance between us, she hugged me tightly out of appreciation and not just pure lust like earlier even though that seemed to be an ever-present current in her emotions towards me. Pulling away, she sent me her gratitude and respect again before chastely kissing my cheek. I couldn't help but revel in how wonderful it felt to be viewed with such adoration and regard. Even after all the years I had spent in relative passivity, my own wife and family still looked at me as a loose-cannon or some barely contained attack dog at times. Man, this woman couldn't be better at stroking my ego if I had designed her from scratch myself.

With the tension clearing, we resumed walking towards the house, this time holding hands almost out of a compulsion to tie us together in some way. As if weaving a stronger bond the longer we touched, I tried to ignore the strange tingling sensation I felt when her small hand locked tightly within my larger one. She looked relieved and smiled brightly at me and I couldn't help but mirror that expression of contentment, something that was still very new to me.

Bella seemed to stimulate every part of my brain all at once. It was slightly overwhelming. It was like I was having a moment of supreme clarity one second only to have that give way to an even more dense state of confusion the next. This woman had turned my world upside down and I had only met her a little more than an hour ago.

Noticing Bella moving slower the closer we got to the waiting family, I stopped about a mile from the main house to look over my companion appreciatively, trying to determine the cause of her dramatically changed demeanor. Her feisty spirit seemed to have shrunk, as I picked up notions of worthlessness and fear coming from her. "What seems to be the problem, Miss Bella?" I asked quietly so as not to alert the welcome wagon eagerly anticipating Bella's arrival until she was absolutely ready.

"Sorry, it's just weird to be able to feel how excited the people inside that house are to see me. I can only hope that I don't disappoint any of you. My Masters would not be pleased with me." She visibly shuddered from her thoughts, probably envisioning a punishment at the hands of her sadistic Master Caius. She didn't need to tell me he had hurt her because I already knew his reputation and saw her reaction firsthand. Having felt her emotions spike dangerously as she spoke of him specifically, I knew he was not like the others in her mind. I hated to think what made him such a drastic exception.

After feeling her overwhelming shame and fear without knowing what perpetuated those emotion, I wasn't sure if I had ever been as furious in my life, even if I didn't know exactly why. I was certain, however, that I was already feeling protective over the young woman clutching my hand like a scared child. I knew I would do everything I could not to let her feel that way ever again.

"You can hold my hand for as long as you need, but I am certain there is nothing more sinister waiting for you inside that house besides some tight hugs and excited hellos." She giggled nervously, but didn't let go of my hand as I returned to walking at a human pace towards the house with her in tow.

Remembering the confident, calm, free-spirited attitude I felt from her as we ran through the woods earlier, I had an idea to bring her out of her worried thoughts and calmly back to the house without being too obvious about my ulterior motives. "Would you like to play a game with me, Sugar?"

"I would do anything you asked me to do, Major." Though Bella's quick response was automatic and sincere, I was hit with a wave of embarrassment the moment she realized the breathy way she had spoken. She hadn't meant for it to sound the way it had, but the innuendo hung heavy in the air, teasing us both. I didn't want to comment and accidentally make it worse, so I sent her some amusement, courage, and a lot of lust so she didn't get shy on me. I wanted to see that playful little kitten come back out to play again, and I had a perfect plan on how to do just that.

"I noticed how incredibly fast you were earlier and I would like to challenge you to a race back home. First one through the tree line wins. Agreed?" She smiled at me slyly, released my hand, and eagerly got into a runner's stance. "Alright," I said loudly, "Ready…Set…"

"Go," Bella shouted as she took off into the woods a second ahead already because she had jumped the metaphorical gun – as if she needed the head start to win. I hated to lose, but the view I had while running behind her provided a consolation prize I hadn't even considered.

We were not far from the yard in the first place, so I was going to have to retaliate against the devious little cheater quickly. Knowing she would likely be distracted by a sudden onslaught of emotion, I sent her as much amusement I could muster in the hope she would double over in laughter so I could claim the lead.

While fear had always been the most effective emotion in my arsenal to gain an abrupt advantage, I knew using anything negative would defeat the purpose of playing this game with Bella. My second choice was lust, but we had already shared quite a bit of that naturally and I didn't want to make her think for one minute that it was artificial. Amusement seemed to be the most fitting option to disorient her, so I applied as much as I could while remaining focused on my own two feet.

Bella, however, only faltered a few steps before gaining a substantial lead despite my attempt to distract her. Giving up on that tactic I began concentrating so hard on the best path through the woods to overtake her since I knew the area better that I only noticed her ominous, mirth-filled chuckle when it was too late.

A moment later I was overcome by such an intense feeling of lust I almost had an orgasm mid-step. All control over my gift was temporarily disabled as I struggled to rein in the provocative cocktail she was using against me. I growled at her, much to her amusement as her hearty laughter fluttered through the air and the level of amorous emotions increased naturally. _Great_, I thought, _now_ _she's_ _laughing!_

I happily discovered that Bella had sent her emotions to me so strongly that she herself couldn't help but feed off of the backlash that evidently came from playing with another empath. It felt like emotional ping-pong as the growing sexual energy began mounting in intensity with each pass back and forth. Forced to slow down to a more manageable pace given our current preoccupied conditions, we both moaned quietly from the mammoth amount of sexual tension flowing between us. I used Bella's momentary inattention to my advantage and almost completely closed the gap between us just as we neared the finish line that began in the clearing of the yard.

Tackling Bella from behind, she wildly shrieked in surprise as we tumbled forward into the grassy area behind the house. "You clever little minx," I growled loudly while sending out waves of amusement to Bella so she knew I wasn't really angry about what she had done.

I held her down by her shoulders, pressing my body firmly against her to hold her in place. Although I had a suspicion that I didn't need to force her capitulation since she had me anchored to her by our inter-locked legs the moment I positioned myself above her. She was so good at subtle seductiveness that I would have to be careful of her sneaky maneuvers in the future.

"No, Jasper, that's Bella!" Esme yelled as she ran behind Edward, Carlisle, and Emmett outside in response to the scream that resounded from the climactic end of our race. "Why did you jump on her like that?"

"Why, Esme?" I asked rhetorically, "Because she's a dirty little cheater! Aren't you, little Bella?" I said in an icy tone, grinning evilly at Bella as she returned my sentiment with a spirited smirk the others couldn't see apparently.

Esme wore a look of horror as I realized how she had misread the situation. From her perspective it looked like her most volatile son had just attacked her newest daughter and viciously pinned the poor girl to the ground for no apparent reason. I couldn't help but feel disappointed that they would think I would hurt someone groundlessly like some savage.

"Even if you meant no harm, Jasper, you shouldn't be holding her down in such an inappropriate position. Let her up right now or I'll make you," Edward shouted contemptuously after having read my thoughts, growling as he slowly stalked forward, picking up the pace as he got closer.

The sudden angry scowl on Bella's face at Edward's comment confirmed my suspicions about the mysterious beauty I had trapped underneath me; she was definitely not as innocent as she seemed. In fact, she was probably more dangerous than most because her unassuming, sweet presence would lull someone into a false sense of security, leaving her with the ultimate element of surprise - underestimation.

I was so distracted with tactical thoughts about my impressive new friend that I barely registered Edward's sudden movement towards us after my lack of response to his demand. Bella, however, instantly noticed and growled in warning before rolling us over, replicating our first encounter perfectly. With her body protectively on top of mine, she held a look of deep concentration for a brief second before Edward's charging motion came to an abrupt and mysterious halt.

"What the hell was that? That was so cool!" Emmett yelled as he watched Edward get inexplicably thrown backwards forty feet. Bella sprang to her feet and stood in front of me defensively, apparently not understanding why the bronze-haired stranger was trying to attack us. I jumped up to try to ease her concerns over our vulnerability, now fully understanding what she meant about having unpredictable reactions.

With Bella crouched protectively in front of me, I noticed Carlisle immediately go to check on Edward. The subsequent wave of guilt experienced by Bella told me she understood that he was not a random attacker and may not have really meant any harm even though he had threatened me. Standing straight, but still leery of her unfamiliar environment, it seemed as though Bella was waiting for an order.

Confused by the situation and her lack of direction, Bella growled loudly again as Esme and Emmett started to approach us. Knowing she was disoriented from the hostile way Edward came after us, Carlisle held up his hands to stop the rest of the family from getting any closer. "Calm down, little one, everything is safe here. I sincerely apologize, sweetheart." Carlisle's tone softened to a soothing whisper as he spoke to his newest daughter. "If you aren't comfortable with this, we can make one-on-one introductions instead. Please forgive me, dear, I am so very sorry."

"Why are you apologizing to her, Carlisle? I was only trying to help her since Jasper couldn't seem to control himself, as usual," Edward complained, sounding a lot like Alice. Bella growled viciously at him again and I grabbed her hand to steady her emotions like I had earlier when she needed the extra support.

As an empath I was exceptionally flattered because I could literally feel her intense desire to protect me. It was intrinsic and rare for me to ever feel safe, but I did feel secure locked in Bella's strange bubble. Not only was she safe-guarding me from a perceived attack, but she was honestly angry over Edward's callous words about me. She was vicariously building up my ego yet again and I was not even sure I deserved it since my brother's hurtful words did hold some merit.

Since the entire scene was misunderstood for something other than a frisky game meant to divert Bella from succumbing to her nerves, I could understand his reaction but not his harsh comments. I took a moment to sneer at Edward's angry face, slightly distorted by the curvature of the bubble Bella seemed to effortlessly project around us. I had no ill will towards my brother but I felt the mind-reader could be overly judgmental and indiscriminately condescending most of the time. Did he really think so little of me? I hadn't had a slip-up in decades and I would never take advantage of any woman, yet they consistently treated me like a highly combustible bomb waiting to explode.

He scoffed at my thoughts and Bella's body stiffened in response as she prepared to lunge at him in my defense. Remembering my offer to help give her a sense of control in tense situations just like this, I used an authoritative voice I hadn't had need for in decades and commanded her. "You will not attack him, Sugar. My usually polite brother, Edward, seems to have forgotten all of his social graces and means neither of us any harm despite his rude comments. Take a deep breath and stand down. Now. I assure you that you are perfectly safe."

I pulled her close to me and sent her all of the adoration and gratitude I could in order to wordlessly express my thanks for everything she tried to do for me. She smiled, but kept her eyes down submissively as she slowly withdrew whatever force created the protective shelter she erected around us.

"Very good, Darlin'," I said to her appreciatively, looking at Carlisle who appeared grateful as well.

"I'm so sorry for causing trouble for your family, Sir," Bella said quietly, briefly looking with remorseful eyes towards Carlisle. "I will do better. Please give me another chance," Bella said with her head bowed down, her voice cracking with emotion while I could feel her deep resignation over her next few words. "Of course, if you would like to send me back now… I understand, Sir." Her sorrow compounded once her words were spoken aloud and I wanted nothing more than to throw her down and kiss her silly just to see her smile again.

"Darlin', you will never be discarded like an unwanted toy or an ill-fitting shirt. You're a part of this family now for as long as you want to be and no one will be 'returning' you if I have anything to say about it. Do you understand me?" My voice held little room for argument and I had purposely used it to take charge of her spiraling emotions.

Bella gave me a slight smile and hesitantly nodded her head. That ambivalence was not good enough for the Major who I could feel peeking out from his special compartment in my mind. Feeling a need to have her answer verbally, I cocked an eyebrow to challenge her, silently asserting the dominance she wanted. "Answer me, now."

She smiled broadly at my antics, but kept her eyes down slightly in her submissive stance. "Yes, Sir. Thank you, Major." I was extremely pleased that she appeased the other half of my personality so fluidly, let alone calling me Major and the sinful affect that had on my fractured soul. Edward and Emmett shared a confused look, but I could instantly feel how disgusted Edward was over the whole situation which meant so could Bella.

Thankfully Carlisle interjected before I attacked Edward's pretentious ass myself. "Little one, you did nothing wrong. I'm happy you seem comfortable with Jasper and that you thought enough of him to protect him like you did. I am so sorry that I hadn't properly anticipated your reaction to normal sibling rivalry since the Guard would never speak to each other out of turn like that. This was very much my fault."

Deciding to explain the situation before Edward proclaimed some crazy theory about my instability, I announced firmly, "I understand why you guys thought I was going to hurt her since y'all didn't know we had already met. In truth, if I had seen a rogue vampire wandering the property I would certainly have taken them down, but I assure you that we were just playing around." Carlisle seemed to accept that easily, but the grimace on Edward's face told me this wasn't quite over where he was concerned.

In a last ditch effort to explain myself to my family and lighten the mood, I added quickly, "In my defense though, she really did cheat. Twice, in fact." Bella laughed and Emmett seemed to relax from hearing her sweet, melodious sound. He began to chuckle silently, I had to assume in an attempt not to scare her with his usual booming, boisterous tenor.

Sensing the need to move past the incident, Esme walked over towards us slowly even for a human. "Bella, my name is Esme, Carlisle's wife and mother of sorts to all these silly boys. I want to apologize for the terrible reception you just received. We simply misunderstood the situation. It is a true pleasure to meet you and to have you join our family."

Esme stretched out her arms and moved a bit closer. I could feel how much Bella longed for a mother's healing touch, but she hesitated. She was still feeling a desire to be controlled by my commanding influence. Her protective behavior, although completely understandable, prompted the need for her submission to me. I gave her my approval through a small nod to indicate she should return Esme's gesture.

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. Let me know if you have a question. I'd be happy to answer. :) Thanks!


	4. Sibling Rivalry

A/N: I first wanted to thank everyone who has shown an interest in this story. I couldn't stop writing it once I started and it is one that I have always enjoyed re-reading, something I have done with this one from start to finish at least twelve times.

A minor warning: Edward acts like a fool in this chapter. He might come around eventually, but since I have always felt his emotional development has been a little stunted he will exhibit certain behaviors parents of more than one child will recognize.

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 4 – Sibling Rivalry*

Edward's Point of View

I was completely shocked when Bella looked at both Carlisle and Jasper for permission to speak, though I suppose I shouldn't have been after I heard the weak-willed girl call Jasper "Major". Her subservience was distasteful, yet the savage beast that my brother truly was at heart adored the recognition. If I hadn't known all along about the monster which resided within Jasper, every indication I had ever entertained previously would have been proven correct in the way he reinforced Bella's behavior with his obvious approval.

Bella did not even move towards Esme until Jasper inclined his head in our mother's direction, allowing her. I was so disgusted with the display I was witnessing that I almost missed Carlisle's thoughts on the subject, which seemed diametrically opposed to mine. _'What a relief! Jasper will be able to assist me with Bella. I truly hadn't even considered that… I bet he knows exactly what to do for her when she gets submissive like this.'_

Startled, I couldn't help but look at my new "sister" completely aghast. Like all vampire women she was very beautiful, but there was obviously something severely wrong with her that she needed so much specialized treatment. Focusing on my ability, I tried to listen to her thoughts to get a better feel for what made her so defective, but there seemed to be a dense cloud surrounding her mind which was fogging my ability completely.

Feeling disillusioned and a little angry when I discovered her thoughts were blocked from me, I began to study the others. Emmett and Carlisle's wide-open minds proved my ability hadn't been compromised, but I recognized quickly that Jasper was somehow dulled to me now as well. I suspected this unprecedented situation was also Bella's doing.

I couldn't help but recall Alice's comments from before she left with Rosalie. My psychic sister did not want Bella to join the family because of the interference she was causing with the clarity of Alice's visions. Recognizing the validity of her point now that I had experienced it myself, it was all too apparent why the Volturi wanted to be rid of her. Bella was trouble and I knew for certain that I didn't want to have anything to do with this newborn if I could help it.

I could only hope that Alice would be so annoyed with Bella's ridiculous behavior towards her soon-to-be ex-husband that she would want to leave after the divorce from Jasper became finalized. If my sister did leave then I would be inclined to follow until the newest Cullen was better controlled, or perhaps removed from our home entirely. The damaged newborn was clearly already a burden for Carlisle and now the responsibility of our entire family too. The whole situation was utterly absurd.

To me Bella seemed far too risky and dysfunctional to be brought into public at all. What if she behaved this way on Monday for all of Forks High to see? I couldn't help but wonder why the Volturi simply didn't lock the troublesome vampire in some dungeon instead of loaning her out to the Cullens to domesticate.

Lost in thought, I barely registered a pained whimper over the sound of Emmett's booming voice. Evidently during my deliberations, I hadn't noticed him trying to engage in a conversation with the strange vampire. Looking in the direction of the aggrieved noise I heard a moment before, I saw Bella staring at me in disbelief. Unsure of what to make of her attention focused on me specifically, I scowled as her face changed from happy to heart-broken for no discernible reason. I couldn't help but congratulate myself for having so quickly pegged her as irreparably damaged. If she couldn't even hold a simple conversation with the always personable Emmett then there was certainly something horribly wrong with her.

My sweet, clueless brother was finishing describing a particular bear he had his eye on for Bella to hunt with him as a "Welcome-to-the-Family" gift, completely oblivious to Bella's odd reaction. With complete disregard for proper manners, Jasper interrupted Emmett by turning Bella around to face him. Jasper asked her quietly, "What's happening, Darlin? Why are you in so much pain? So unhappy?"

She didn't respond, simply choosing to nestle into Jasper's chest for some misbegotten notion of safety. She was clearly unaware just how dangerous her cuddle-buddy was or she would have run halfway to Canada before she allowed his scarred arms around her beautiful body. Bella winced and then growled slightly for a reason I still couldn't identify. It was as if she was having an internal argument with someone, reacting to a conversation none of the rest of us could hear.

Jasper continued to ignore everyone else in favor of petting the defective girl, constantly shushing her intermittent growls and whimpers with whispered words of gentle comfort. As perplexing as his overly affectionate behavior was, I couldn't help but notice the way he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply against the top of her head. He seemed to enjoy her embrace a little more than he should have considering the crazy, needy behavior she had exhibited which precipitated it.

Carlisle's thoughts began to invade my mind as he was trying to determine the cause of Bella's abrupt state of depression. With a glance over our family, I noticed my father staring at me bitterly before he looked at Esme for help. With a quick, covert glance in Bella's direction immediately after locking eyes with his wife, Carlisle gave a silent plea for Esme to use her caring, motherly nature to help comfort their new "daughter". I had seen the same expression on his face during several of Alice's more disturbing moments of psychosis over the last few years, and Esme dutifully nodded and approached with more caution than I thought the strange girl required.

With every step our matriarch took towards them, Bella squeezed Jasper tighter, worming her arms around him and up his back before threading her delicate fingers through his unruly hair. Seeing this, Esme, now within an arm's reach, cooed, "Oh Bella, what happened?" To our surprise, Esme's nurturing tone inexplicably seemed to make the sad vampire sob louder into Jasper's chest.

My brother pulled her closer, if it were possible, looking like he was concentrating on using his gift to alleviate some of her sudden, mysterious unease. The effectiveness of his empathy increased dramatically by his touch though I suspected he was clinging to her for other reasons too. Her tearless cries seemed to subside gradually as we all stood silently nearby, waiting for some indication as to what was going on.

Finally, Bella peeked out over my brother's shoulder, reluctant to lose more than an incremental amount of the hold she had on him. Bella glanced at Carlisle pleadingly, asking a question with her sorrowful eyes which she seemed too afraid to speak aloud.

"I'm sorry, Bella, but I did not want to share your ordeal with the Volturi until after you all had formally met. Now I fear that I have done you a great disservice with my silence, knowing you'd be around vampires unfamiliar with your gifts. I have a suspicion as to what happened to upset you just now, so if it is okay with you then Esme can show you to your room. I would like you to collect yourself and freshen up while I talk to my sons. Afterwards I'll need you for a demonstration if you're up to it."

"Yes, Sir," she whispered with a small nod before hugging Jasper like she was afraid to leave him. With a small kiss on his cheek, Bella reluctantly let go and grabbed Esme's hand while being immediately ushered away by our adoptive mother. A split-second after she disappeared into the house, the questions the three of us had been compiling began to fly despite the close proximity of the subject of our inquiry.

"How come she's so comfortable with Jasper _of all people_, Carlisle?" I asked with an accidental bitter edge to my voice, earning a sneer from the brother in question. "And what exactly did you mean by 'gifts'?"

"What did those Volturi freaks do to make her so skittish? And why did she get so upset with me? I thought she was going to climb on Jazz's shoulders just to get away from me," Emmett complained, looking dejected. "I didn't mean to scare her. I was just excited."

"She wasn't so timid in the woods, Carlisle. Far from it, I can assure you. She was fairly… aggressive, actually," Jasper said with a snicker, briefly thinking about her lying on top of him in the forest, her face an inch from his as she forcefully pressed her body to his. This scene caused a reflexive grumble from me, something I wasn't even aware of initially.

Ignoring me, Jasper continued, "Why was she suddenly feeling so threatened? It was like her personality shifted from a strong, confident vampire to a wounded little girl."

Carlisle put his hands up to halt the impromptu interrogation, using his eyes to convey his need for our silence. "Everyone slow down and I'll try to answer you all as best I can. First of all, she isn't afraid of Jasper just because of his scars if that's what you meant, Edward. She is far more perceptive of someone's true nature than to make superficial judgments based on appearance alone. And Emmett, the Volturi part of your question will have to wait for a moment, but something _Edward_ did seemed to trigger her reaction, not you. Jasper, I'm glad you got to experience her true personality before she shrunk back into her other persona. She's really wonderful to be around, no?"

Jasper looked entirely too pleased for my liking, finding Carlisle's solidarity on the subject of Bella to be a boost to his esteem. With a smirk, Jasper said, "I can honestly say I was not expecting her to be so much fun since she's a newborn. We would have stayed out hunting and playing around much longer if I didn't think you would get worried." Carlisle looked pensive, deliberating on telling Jasper to do just that with Bella in order to get her to relax.

Jasper continued, unaware of Carlisle's approval of that plan, "And Emmett, you are going to love wrestling with her. She's ridiculously fast and incredibly strong. I think she was even holding back a bit because when I finally pinned her down I could have sworn she smiled at me like she let me win just so I'd feel manly or something," Jasper said with a wry smile.

"I don't doubt that at all. I have never met her equal with her sense of selflessness," Carlisle said with a far-off look. "Sorry if it hurts your ego, Jasper, but she could have easily overpowered you. I saw her effortlessly take down several Guard members at once, a group which included Felix Volturi although he's a different matter entirely. The little one just doesn't like to show-off and wouldn't have wanted to wound your male pride. She's extremely thoughtful like that."

"Why were you wrestling with her in the first place, Jasper?" I bit out scathingly. "She seems far too damaged to be put in a position for her to feel threatened, especially sexually. Besides, you are married. You shouldn't have touched her so freely." I couldn't control the accusatory tone to my voice, thinking maybe my brother took advantage of her at some point while they were alone. Something he did obviously made her feel like she needed to bow down to him, what else was I supposed to believe?

Jasper's insulted face predicated on my comment made me incredibly uncomfortable. I considered that he might have purposely slipped some nervousness in my direction because I was absolute in my convictions that he acted inappropriately towards Bella only moments before and yet I was left with nothing but unnatural anxiety about stating that fact.

"Edward," Jasper stated as if scolding a child, "I did not have sex with her. And I don't know what's gotten your pretentious panties in a twist to even suggest such a thing, but I would never force myself on any woman ever. Besides, Bella didn't seem scared for a second when we were alone, only after we got back here and you started in with your condescending remarks."

With his mind less shrouded to me now that Bella was away from his side, I registered Jasper's regret in telling her they had to come back. He would have much rather stayed by the river's edge with her instead of trying to prove himself to us yet again. If I hadn't been so angry with him I would have tried to give him some brotherly support even if our low opinions of him were based on a historically violent record that he had truly earned.

Looking up at me, feeling my emotional response to his thoughts, he shut me out entirely and scowled in my direction. With a quick glance at Carlisle and Emmett, Jasper faced me again to finish explaining what I was certain he knew I wanted to know. "As for the wrestling… that was an accident. She came out of nowhere just as I was about to take down a mountain lion. We lunged for it at the same time. Since I didn't expect any new vampires around 'til later, we struggled for a minute before I realized who she was. After she introduced herself, we basically just talked for a bit, hunted together, and then came home."

I noticed that when Jasper was giving the description of the events from the woods, he began looking at Carlisle intently. The empath was purposely keeping his thoughts centered on the mountain lion he missed out on having for dinner, not looking in my eyes to better evade my gift. He was trying to avoid me finding out something which he had omitted from his account, the truth of whatever really happened between them. It must have been significant to warrant his behavior, and like always I was the only one aware of his deceptive nature.

Under the wrongful impression what we heard was the truth, Carlisle smiled fondly at Jasper and then at me and Emmett, pleased with the information. "That is wonderful news. It sounds like Jasper met the 'real Bella' in the woods. Perhaps she will just need some time to adjust to the rest of you. She eventually grew to feel comfortable with most of the vampires in Volterra, even the ones that usually don't like anyone - actually, especially those. The girl the rest of you saw comes out in times of stress as a result of her experience in Italy."

"What happened to her there, Carlisle? Her emotions got really strange when she spoke about the brothers - one in particular." Jasper's suddenly enraged tone betrayed a lot of his thoughts on the subject. I didn't even need to read his mind to know how angry he was by whatever Bella felt during that discussion.

Carlisle looked distraught, slightly nauseated like he would vomit if it were possible as he struggled to answer Jasper's question. His inability to express himself, something he was usually so naturally adept at doing, was alarming.

Our patriarch abruptly gestured for all of us to sit down in the grass, as if he decided how best to broach the subject of Bella's past. His anomalous request gave me pause since we were all comfortable standing motionless for hours if need be. The humanness of his invitation made me wonder what he was going to say that required such odd preparation.

Instinctively, I searched his mind but found he was blocking me for whatever reason. Yet another suspicious happenstance since Bella's arrival, as Carlisle had always been so open with me.

"First of all, I must say I am rather surprised, but optimistic by this turn of events. She really must have taken to you, Jasper. For the little one to reveal anything about _them_, especially _him_… well that's certainly a vast improvement," Carlisle said, taking a seat on the lawn to my left.

"What's with the pow-wow?" Emmett asked jokingly, trying to ease the tension as he crossed and uncrossed his legs several times, bumping into both me and Jasper on either side of him.

Carlisle forced a smile, but his face fell into a deep frown almost immediately. "I wanted you to sit because I thought it might help keep everyone more composed. Bella is physically too close to us for any of you to lose control after hearing what I am about to say."

"Why don't we get off the property then?" Emmett asked and looked for Jasper to back him up, but the empath seemed just as uncomfortable with that prospect as Carlisle was.

"Ideally it would be better to get out of hearing range, but the little one would not be comfortable with that. Given the circumstances, I need you all to remain as calm as possible so I can get through this quickly. I do not relish this task in the slightest, but it needs to be done. This will be as difficult to hear as it is for me to say, so I would understand if you required a break."

His words were foreboding, but we all nodded in agreement and waited for Carlisle to decide where to start. I noticed Jasper brace himself as he sat directly across from me, clearly more aware of the possibilities of what Carlisle was about to reveal than either me or Emmett.

Carlisle's voice was hollow when he spoke again, as if he was struggling with his words as he started detailing the former life of our new sister. "It bothers me to even say this out loud, but Bella was severely tortured… by Caius Volturi before…and after I arrived in Italy."

Although he asked us to remain quiet, his bombshell resulted in a chaotic maelstrom of noise. There were too many questions which demanded answers and Carlisle looked ready to stop the whole undertaking if we couldn't allow him the chance to speak unimpeded. Taking on more of his position as coven leader, he asserted himself by clearing his throat, never letting his voice become harsh but instilling the necessary command to make it clear he wanted our cooperation.

"As I was saying, his _training sessions_ left Bella with a bit of an anxiety disorder, quite possibly post-traumatic stress. Besides that issue, if she feels particularly vulnerable or after she uses her gifts, Bella has a certain amount of pernicious guilt that creeps up on her. Coupled with whatever she picked up on tonight, it was enough for her to recoil into the same state of fear and worthlessness I first found her in while suffering the cruelty of that monster," he growled. It was so strange to hear him speak that way. Carlisle Cullen well-known pacifistic "vegetarian" vampire looked determinedly savage as he spoke of Caius Volturi.

I let intense moment wane before I sought an answer to a burning question I had that could no longer be contained. "And just what are her 'gifts'?" I asked for a second time, though immediately regretted it after seeing my father's face contort into a look of complete frustration directed solely at me. I cringed seeing his usually kind eyes still seeping in inky black depths, his anger from a moment before reigniting from my words.

Thankfully before Carlisle reacted, Emmett exaggeratedly rolled his eyes before barking, "Dude, get your priorities in order. Dad just told us our new little sissy was being tormented by the vampire world's most well-known sadist. No one cares about her fucking gifts right now, okay, dick?"

My brothers both glared at me and my father's expression was surprisingly similar. With an exasperated sigh, Jasper spoke to me in a smug tone. "I have no idea how she made that protective bubble, but I know she's an empath like me, Edward," Jasper said proudly, finally shedding some light on the defective girl's talents.

I couldn't help but jeer at Jasper's obvious pride in his skills, seeing my own as a curse just as much as a gift. Considering his particular empathic ability made him a slave to the emotions of those around him, Jasper should have hated his just as much as I did mine at times.

"She might be one now," Carlisle said quietly in response to Jasper, ignoring me altogether. We must have all snapped our heads towards Carlisle at the same time, baffled looks on all our faces because our father sat up a little straighter under our direct attention. For reasons I couldn't explain, he began looking very uncomfortable. It was as if he had revealed too much too soon and he didn't know how to recover from the misstep.

"That's what Bella said too," Jasper announced with a confused expression. "She can definitely feel emotions and she can absolutely project them. She must be empathic, Carlisle." A quick scene ran through Jasper's mind before he stamped it out, replacing it with some battle statistics from the Civil War. I was curious why he would have such a strong reaction to thoughts about draining some deer and racing Bella home. However fleeting those thoughts might have been, they were powerful.

"I meant she's empathic among other things, Jasper. Bella is beyond gifted, actually. As I discovered in Denali, it is much easier to show you her overall ability rather than explaining it. When she feels more comfortable, she will give you a demonstration out here since some of her extra powers are more unpredictable… sometimes a little explosive."

"What… explosive… extra powers! Should we be concerned for ourselves?" I asked worriedly. "Why would you bring something so dangerous into our home?"

"Not _something_, Edward, _someone._ And Bella would never purposely harm anyone if she could avoid it. You have to remember she is still only a newborn. Although more controlled than others, she needs practice and guidance to be more confident. Until then you must not get too close to her if she's afraid or feeling threatened. She seems most comfortable with Jasper at this point, so unless he or I are there to keep her in line please do not engage her directly."

"Just to be clear, what do you mean by 'directly'?" Emmett asked, worried he might find himself amongst those who scared the flighty vampire he desperately wanted to wrestle a bear with.

"Through physical touch or close proximity. Actually, Jasper would be the best one to describe her level of discomfort with touching and confrontation after being subjected to some similar torture techniques during his time in the South." Jasper groaned, obviously not enjoying the thought of the vampire he met in the woods being hurt the way he had been.

'_How could someone be so cruel to someone so goddamn sweet? I knew I could feel a constant pain hidden under all of that love she has for the world. She's so complex. Maybe that's why she's such a clever little seductress. Everything she does is layered with the kind of depth that only comes from experience.'_ My eyes widened in surprise, which Jasper clearly recognized as a reaction to his 'little seductress' musings. He looked at me pointedly, as if daring me to repeat what I heard out loud. _'Say one word to embarrass that girl, Edward, and I will spread your appendages across the globe.'_

Choosing to ignore the telepathic threats he made against me, he spoke to all of us in a very even tone completely inconsistent with his menacing thoughts. Jasper's beguiling ability to appear beyond stoic while contemplating a murderous rampage was another reason he was difficult for me to trust. Having a whole other ferocious entity hiding just beneath the calm facade he tried so hard to convey to the world, I knew Jasper was aware of how volatile he could be, how tenuous his control really was. For some reason, despite several slips over the years, I seemed to be the only one who truly knew he was the true embodiment of Jekyll and Hyde.

"If I am to assume she felt like me after I got away from Maria, I would suggest not sneaking up on her… ever," Jasper said, begrudgingly thinking about a time in his life he would just as soon forget. "Between her newborn inclinations and the horror she obviously endured, Bella is most likely prone to some very dangerous outbursts which could do you a great deal of harm without the addition of any extra, potentially dangerous gifts. In the past I have found it helpful to speak to a nervous person with my body turned away slightly so they feel less intimidated by a potential confrontation. I can feel the humans relax when I do that, so I think it might apply here as well."

"That must be extraordinarily good advice since she obviously doesn't seem to be intimidated by you at all," I said scathingly. No one responded, behaving as though I hadn't said a word. Not even Carlisle reacted, forgoing the opportunity to chastise me for my negative attitude which he was prone to do on occasions I spoke without filtering. This had me concerned that Bella and Jasper had clearly become a bad influence on my family, especially with my father who seemed to suddenly regard me as a petulant fool.

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. Let me know if you have a question. I'd be happy to answer. :) Thanks!


	5. Kitten Adoption

A/N: Just a heads up, there is a Latin phrase in this chapter, so let's all agree to pretend it is correct even if my translator is wrong. Okay? No need to go bananas telling me it's wrong, I'm alright with it either way.

A serious warning: Though not explicit, there is some discussion of torture techniques in this chapter. For anyone who reads it and asks "Why oh why would the terribly mean author let the bad guy do those horrible things to that poor vampire?" all will be explained in future chapters, so for now you'll just have to accept that some pain has a purpose. You know, kind of like a bikini wax. :)

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 5 – Kitten Adoption*

Edward's Point of View

"Should we warn Rosie and Alice so Bella doesn't go ape-shit on them if they come home unexpectedly?" Emmett asked, understandably concerned for his wife's safety.

"That won't be necessary," Carlisle said assuredly. "She won't be this way with the females, but it might be difficult for her to warm up to you both, Emmett and Edward. I have no insight as to the reason she is so at ease with Jasper since I believe she only had an immediate connection with me because I was the one who initially freed her from Caius' torture rack."

"Torture rack… holy shit," Emmett grumbled. He was nervously plucking single blades of grass from the ground near his knees, anything to keep his trembling hands busy. Jasper seemed to be entertaining the same level of disbelief, staring up at the sky like nothing about the universe made sense to him anymore.

As troubling as these issues were, I couldn't help but be pragmatic where my family was concerned. Trying to wrap my mind around the logistics of making Bella a proper Cullen since she was clearly already so damaged, I scoffed again at the preposterous situation. "I'm sorry, Carlisle, but didn't you want her to start school on Monday? How can she handle being around all of those hormonal human boys if she can't deal with just a few of us?"

"Human is the operative word, Edward. The little one is fine around humans since their blood is revolting to her in a way you cannot imagine. Though she has no real basis for her fears of our kind considering all of her abilities, vampires still scare her in large numbers. That fear is likely a result of her last human memories which involved watching the Volturi rip her mother and step-father apart."

"Would she mind if you told us more, you think? I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't want to be the one to accidentally trigger a flashback for her like one of those abused women in a Lifetime movie." Though he seemed to be joking, Emmett was very concerned, knowing how Rosalie had suffered flashbacks in the past regarding her ordeal with Royce King. "I don't want to see her hurt more just because I open my big, insensitive mouth and say something stupid because I don't know enough about her past to filter myself properly," Emmett stated with conviction, probably the one among us to have the most experience dealing with a distraught woman.

"Bella already gave me permission to speak freely to you all on the subject so she wouldn't have to. To better understand how Bella's torment went unnoticed for so long, you need to know that she is impervious to Aro's ability," Carlisle said vacantly, as if recalling a rehearsed speech and that one line encompassed it all.

"Why would that be so significant?" my giant brother asked Carlisle, as confused as I was. I noticed that Jasper seemed to already grasp something that Em and I didn't. The look on the empath's face could only be described as cynical contempt.

Carlisle replied almost automatically, "It means I'm certain that before the day I arrived Aro and Marcus had no idea what Caius had been doing to her over the months since she had been turned. Those two were being honest about their ignorance, their reactions proved it easily. They seemed oddly protective of her simply in summoning me there in the first place, so I know they would have never allowed any of that to happen to her had they known all along."

"I thought Aro was like God in that castle. He knows and sees all," Emmett said, repeating a mantra we had all heard from Carlisle at one time or another. Aro's ability made it possible to turn anyone into a reluctant spy, using their experiences for insight into the world beyond the Castle's Court where the kings spent most of their time.

"Normally yes, it's true that Aro is knowledgeable about Volturi interests, but I have never seen them all as close to a physical altercation with each other as the day I first arrived. Aro and Marcus were as truly horrified as I was at the gruesome scene we were met with in Caius' 'special' chamber." Carlisle stopped talking to collect himself and just as I was tempted to sift through his mind to find the cause of his obvious dilemma, he started talking again, albeit miserably.

"After I tended to her wounds from his… his whips and the more destructive devices he used on her, the little one held on to me for practically a full day before she would even talk about what happened. Despite her being forthcoming with information after Marcus gave her the permission she needed to tell me her story, it was obvious she had edited her version to some extent just to spare _me _from having to hear it. The depth of her character truly knows no bounds."

Carlisle persisted despite the chorus of growling and teeth grinding which was starting to grow in volume. "It's so ironic, really. Her mother thought them lucky to have won a free trip to Volterra. It was perfectly timed during Bella's Thanksgiving Break from school, especially fortunate since her mother didn't even remember entering any contest in the first place. Unfortunately that is one of Bella's only clear memories of her family which crossed over with her mind after the trauma of her transformation.

"After her family and other tourists were offered a guided tour of the castle from Heidi, a dedicated Volturi procurer, they were led into the feeding chamber. One of the gifted Guard members with an ability similar to Eleazar immediately sensed Bella's power as a shield even as a human. As is custom whenever someone unique turns up in their net, they saved her for further appraisal after the slaughter. Following her evaluation, Aro saw Bella as so promising that he employed a tradition that is rarely used anymore because of its unpredictability."

Everyone quieted down as Carlisle began to outline Bella's transformation from human to vampire with an air of intense curiosity and remorse billowing off of him. "The method they employed, the 'Incruenta Flamma', has never worked before in quite the same way as it did with Bella. It is dangerous to perform on just anyone, but it clearly holds some validity in creating exceptional vampires since it was the same thing which was done to Aro, Alec, and Jane. Apparently most lose their minds completely during the procedure, needing to be executed moments after they open their eyes as a vampire which is a reason it fell out of practice long ago. Bella is a rare case, one of a kind. You'll understand what I mean when she comes back outside. She can…"

"Wait, my Latin is not great," Emmett interrupted, "Doesn't that mean 'bloodless burn'?"

"That is a loose interpretation of the Latin phrase, but yes that is basically what the ritual entails. She was bitten by all three of the brothers as well as every other gifted vampire present in the hopes of transferring or enhancing an additional gift," Carlisle answered, waiting to field more questions on the subject seeing our collectively confused expressions.

"Why haven't I heard of this before?" I asked, having read all of Carlisle's books on our kind.

"It is too difficult to perform," Jasper said decisively. "Maria told me stories about it, but I never saw it done." Of course he would have insight into something so archaic, having changed masses of humans into monsters.

"It also takes a lot of self-control. No one was allowed to drink from Bella beyond a sip to activate their venom, that way her blood could be drained slowly while the venom which was introduced in its place began coursing through her veins. With each bite and resulting venom-filled injection over the course of the first day, they would slowly perform a bloodletting so they didn't impede her circulation, simply allowing room for additional venom in her bloodstream as they slowly drained her."

I wasn't sure who growled, though it very likely was all of us. Was it a wonder I considered vampires to be monstrous abominations? The Volturi had tortured this girl who had done nothing wrong but go on vacation with her mother. All in an effort to create what I could only assume was another soulless puppet to do their evil bidding. It was unfortunate she was so ruined by her past. Bella could have led a normal, happy human life if she had simply been given the chance.

Carlisle gave us a moment before he returned to his explanation. "This constant, intense treatment causes the change to progress very slowly. They can only do it in small increments otherwise the heart would be unable to pump the venom as it would for a standard turning. When she awoke after silently enduring the change for almost five days, they fed her the collected mixture of her own blood and the resulting venom concoction that they had gradually siphoned from her… As it turned out, they severely underestimated the potency of the ancient ritual with Bella since she was clearly going to be extraordinary to begin with."

"Holy shit, she's a trooper. I would have jumped into a pit of fire just to end it all if I had to deal with the burn of the change for one second more than the time I had to," Emmett mumbled more to himself than anyone in the group.

"It wouldn't matter anyway, Emmett. Because of her physical shield, she can't be burned unless she allows it." The collective gasp at Carlisle's comment left everyone utterly shocked. Bella was truly immortal if she could not be ended by fire like the rest of us.

"How was Caius able to harm her then?" Jasper asked, suspicious about what would be revealed next.

"That is exactly where her situation became precarious and her strength became her downfall. They had learned early on that she was susceptible to injury for a short time after drinking human blood. Through my research, I have observed that there seems to be something in the platelets that she's allergic too. It weakens her for a little bit after consumption. I am uncertain as to the exact extent, but Caius figured out that he would test her durability, her tolerance, and the range of her abilities during that specific state of her diminished capacity."

With a sigh, Carlisle continued, his voice more full of malice than I had ever heard during my existence. "But those are really all just excuses. That cruel bastard just wanted to play with her because she's a fascinating, essentially indestructible creature who was obligated to let him."

"She still heals like us though, right, Carlisle? So no lasting damage?" Emmett asked, clearly feeling protective over his new sister. I looked at Carlisle and growled at my father's thoughts which I subsequently noted Jasper assessed as filled with pure love and immense pain at the memory of Bella's predicament. The image Carlisle accidentally let slip was of Bella strapped to a tilt table with cruel instruments of torture all around her. Caius stood above her, poised to strike her again with a studded whip, a gleeful expression on his face. It was so jarring I jumped up in shock.

"Jesus, Carlisle. Oh my God!" I yelled, trying to blink away the image that I would never be able to forget because of my eidetic vampire memory. "I can't… oh m-m-my God… how is… is she okay? That bastard was smiling. And was that his venom all over her?" My brothers stared at me with barely restrained fury at my comment, obviously interested but horrified to find out what caused my uncharacteristic reaction.

"I'm sorry about that, Edward. I have been trying to block those types of thoughts, but unfortunately there are quite a few of them since it took me two weeks to convince the brothers to let me take her away after my initial discovery. I had a difficult time keeping tabs on Caius the entire time and found him with her like that on more than one occasion. Especially just before we left the castle, he had truly outdone his own cruelty the night he…" Carlisle trailed off, his voice faltering.

As I sat back down on the ground in our makeshift circle, I saw a guilty look come over my father's face. It made me curious about the need for his remorse since it sounded like he did what he could to interfere. I wanted to ask him but I was still hardly able to contain my own feelings at the moment and needed to focus on regaining my usually steadfast control.

"I have no interest in the details of whatever it took to make Eloquent Edward stutter and curse, but she is okay now, right? She's not hurting still, is she?" asked Emmett quietly.

"Yes and no, Emmett. Essentially she has only the emotional damage left to deal with, though she has some very severe scarring on her back. Please try not to react to those marks if at all possible. Since you know they're there, if you feel anything other than surprise, she will be able to feel it now." I was confused when I saw Carlisle glance at Jasper for a moment before looking up at the sky pensively.

As much as he tried to avoid it, I heard Carlisle's nervous thoughts anyway. _'There is no need to explain why she's able to feel emotions like Jasper now since they'll know the reason soon enough. It will only be a short time before they understand the full scope of Bella's abilities. I just hope they don't freak out like Eleazar.' _

Why would Eleazar get upset about her gifts? What else was wrong with this girl? I knew for a fact that she'd been through a lot after what I saw in my father's mind, but I could not help but feel disappointed too. I thought Carlisle was finally bringing me the perfect companion he intended for me to have in Rosalie. Bella had suffered greatly, but how long was I supposed to wait for my perfect mate.

Feeling my disillusionment, Jasper shot a murderous, disgusted glance at me before turning to Carlisle attentively. He must have felt my frustration with Bella's flaws, so I thought it to be only fair that I should listen to his thoughts in turn. The military strategist in him must have counted on it, however, because he immediately turned back to look at me like he was daring me to listen. _'I felt that, asshat. You are such a selfish, conceited brat, Eddie. You're so pristine and free of imperfection that you are appalled when others are anything but polished porcelain like you. She has scars. So what? If you hadn't been so coddled by your Daddy, I'm sure you wouldn't have made it to the age you are now without a mark since everyone that meets you wants to rip your condescending tongue out.'_

I growled in response to my brother's antagonizing thoughts. Carlisle, thinking I was reacting to Bella's story, placed a comforting hand on my knee to calm me. I smiled at Jasper since that gesture of civility from my father should have made it obvious to him that he was acting like a barbarian by trying to provoke me. Instead, he simply smiled back and looked at Carlisle's hand resting on my leg as if it proved his point. We both smirked at each other, having come to a stalemate for the time being.

Carlisle continued, "At first I couldn't understand how Caius could force her submission at all since she's so strong and unbelievably gifted. Bella explained to me privately that after her weakness became apparent, Caius had ambushed her by spraying her in the face with human blood. The first few _sessions_ were the worst for her, the most violent and painful; he was brutal to her."

"Carlisle, did he… rape her?" Jasper asked with fear in his voice. I'm sure it would bother all of us, but why did he sound so disheartened by that prospect? It would have been very similar to both Rose and Esme's pasts, something we would have dealt with in the same way. Bella would be no different in that regard if she went through that same awful experience as my mother and sister.

"I don't think so," Carlisle said, shaking his head, looking unsure. "She says no, but has always been a little vague on the subject. My best guess is that he threatened to as another form of intimidation. I actually believe he was working up to that though, drawing everything out to increase his own… anticipation." Carlisle paused, looking more vampiric as this conversation continued. "Anyway, since Bella seems to react negatively to all human blood except for the mixture which included her own when she initially woke up, he used blood to basically incapacitate her."

"Why?" Emmett asked sheepishly, as if he was afraid of the answer.

"Most of his _experiments_ were done for no other purpose than just to see how long she could endure the torture. Again, her strength was her downfall because she can be very stubborn at times. Apparently he enjoyed watching her struggle so much because she wouldn't stop fighting him off no matter what he did to her…" we all smiled at that until Carlisle spoke again, "…at first."

With a deep sigh he continued, "She continued to persevere even though I know he experimented with different blood types during his research in spite of her obvious allergy to anything human. He pierced her skin with different metals to see how her body was able to heal as it fought off the allergens in the blood he force fed her. He also burned her with soldering irons, different acidic chemical compounds, and a special blow torch to name a few. You need to know that I have not even delved into the punishments he gave her… which I won't. Those are a bit too personal for her and a little bit too much for me to put into words."

"Do you really believe Aro and Marcus didn't know what was happening right under their noses… for months, Carlisle?" I asked, positive that getting around them for so long would have been impossible.

"I believe them when they said that to their knowledge human blood was only purposely administered to Bella twice. Initially after her turning and one other time that will become crucial in understanding how these things came to pass. Unfortunately for Bella that was a pivotal moment with unforeseen consequences no one but Caius could have anticipated. After growing tired of the difficulties associated with dosing Bella with human blood to diminish her ability to fight him off, he came up with a clever solution." Something about Carlisle's tone made it seem like he had any respect for whatever "clever solution" Caius arranged to make things easier on himself.

"Upon his insistence that Bella was too great a threat since she could easily kill the entire coven in mere minutes, he convinced the brothers that the risk to them would be greatly diminished if she was weakened by human blood enough to allow Chelsea's gift to take hold without interference from her natural shield. Chelsea is an important Guard member who is able to create and remove bonds, securing loyalty to the Volturi Kings in those who would otherwise have none. They typically use her to reduce the risk of treason against themselves, but in this case she was used to establish Bella's dutiful obedience to all three Kings. She is now bound by bond to protect them… forever."

"Did they give her a mate too?" Jasper asked, obviously livid while trying to retain his outwardly impassive facade.

"The only bond they did not create was that of a mate because Marcus felt that despite the strength of Chelsea's gift, Bella's stubbornness and overall power would never falter enough to allow for a manufactured bond of that magnitude. Before that decision was made, the male Guard members had been fighting for days about who would get to be her mate. Ironically enough it got so ugly with all of them so passionately vying for her hand that Aro had to call in Bella herself to help restore order. From what I was told, it was a quite a sight."

"How does that relate to Caius?" I asked with a touch of impatience.

"Prior to Chelsea's unnatural bonding, by all accounts Bella had retained her fiery temper and sense of self. She always holds true to her word and would have never attacked Aro or Marcus anyway, but Caius knew he was not thought of in the same regard. He knew it would only have been a matter of time before she turned on him for what he had already done to her and the things he had threatened to do to those she cared about. That was why Caius had pushed the use of Chelsea's ability on the brothers in the way that he did. Unfortunately he was correct in his theory that using her human blood weakened state would make her more susceptible, as the bonding was almost amplified because of it."

Carlisle looked distraught as he stared at each of us before continuing. "After that day, she had a warped sense of duty to _all_ of the Kings, something which allowed Caius to do whatever he wanted to her with a sort of forced permission. She hated it just the same as before, but her will to fight was diminished because of Chelsea's ability. Caius began rigorously _training_ her whenever his brothers wouldn't notice until the point where she actually felt satisfaction in being submissive while working with her gifts."

"Oh, that all makes much better sense to me now," Jasper exclaimed. "Earlier, her emotions were completely at war when we spoke of Italy and the Kings. I understand now what caused the simultaneous hate and protectiveness I felt from her. It was disturbing. I thought I was losing it when I first read her emotions that way."

Carlisle nodded at Jasper's thoughts on Bella. "Now, whenever she is stressed or feels exposed because of her gifts, she responds in a submissive way since that was how she was conditioned to behave to one degree or another after she awoke from her transformation. She trusts me, so she defers to me in a similar manner to take charge of her. After watching their interaction, I already know this will be more prevalent in Jasper's case. Perhaps she senses a kinship through the kind of trauma they both have endured, something none of the rest of us can relate to really. I'm not sure what brought about your connection with her, Jasper, but she could certainly use a more dominant personality than mine."

"Why does she need to be treated that way at all anymore?" I asked, trying to convey some sense of reason over the distasteful idea of perpetuating such an unhealthy, undignified relationship. "I mean, let's be rational. If she lives here now, there's no reason to degrade her all the time."

"That's not what I meant at all, Edward, and it is only ever needed on occasion to keep her under control. She could be quite dangerous if someone doesn't keep a tether on her. Please, try not to judge her just yet since you might understand everything better once you see what she's capable of. She is acutely aware of how powerful she is and I think it helps her to feel in control if she shares the responsibility of her gifts with someone else that she trusts," Carlisle stated pointedly. "It took me awhile to adjust to speaking to her like a dominant figure, and it still is awkward for me. It's just not in my nature, so I'm not too proud to admit that I'm not very good at it. Unfortunately that is exactly what she needs when she's feeling vulnerable or wild. I would suggest that since Jasper seems the best candidate for the job, he…"

"Oh yeah, of course, you should definitely trust Jasper with her," I announced, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Angered by the insulted faces of Emmett and Carlisle, I continued trying to persuade them to see reason. "He'll manipulate that broken girl's emotions until she's happily performing any lewd act he can dream up in that sick head of his. Alice won't touch him anymore so of course it makes sense to give him Bella to use as a personal sex slave, satisfying his every immoral whim with a mentally ill vampire who is too broken to say no." Though on some level I registered a sense of surprise at my own hostility, it seemed impossible to stop the words I was hatefully spewing at my brother. I just couldn't understand this foreign feeling of animosity towards him where Bella was concerned.

Since I was distracted with my own perplexing rationale, I was relieved to see my other brother and father had effectively restrained Jasper before I had even finished speaking. Emmett began yelling at me, but I could barely hear him through Jasper's snarling and Carlisle's attempts to calm the situation.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Edward?" Emmett shouted. "Where the hell did you come up with that shit? Jazz wouldn't treat Bella like that. That stuff you said about him just now was all kinds of messed up. What's wrong with you?"

I didn't have an answer for him since I truly wasn't sure where those vicious thoughts had come from. Despite the fact that I might have regretted _some_ of my more venomous words, I stood by my opinions on the subject. After all, I had seen inside Jasper's twisted mind enough to know just how dark his thoughts could be at times. It wasn't a far stretch to think he would demoralize her if given free reign. Jasper was simply not a suitable custodian for an emotionally damaged woman.

After several tense minutes, Jasper seemed to calm down enough to talk again. "Don't forget I can feel you, _brother_," he growled, looking sinister as he slightly shrugged off the hold Emmett and Carlisle had on him. "I know you're insane with jealousy and resentment right now."

I was about to argue, but stopped to consider that perhaps jealousy was that odd feeling which made me want to fight over her. It was new to me, as I had never competed for anything and not come out on top.

"Is that true, Son?" Carlisle asked me, but I could do nothing but shrug since I had never really felt that particular emotion to this degree before. No one else spoke as the tension continued to diffuse, everyone thinking odd things about Bella, Jasper, and predominantly my behavior which all of them deemed "immature".

They released Jasper completely only after he visibly stopped shaking with rage. Seeing an opportunity to show some outward repentance, I was the first to sit down again in an attempt to continue the conversation with more respect. I needed to do something, hating the idea of disappointing Carlisle so severely.

Jasper scoffed. "Don't bother pretending to be sorry, Eddie, because I know you're not. You don't know anything about what she's been through. I can converse with Bella in a language you don't speak; one you wouldn't want to understand. I know pain very well. I know what it's like to be completely at the mercy of someone who actually gets excited from watching you writhe in agony. You are just a virginal control freak with a superiority complex who is mad as hell that your plans to have an automatic girlfriend aren't working out too well."

"Alright, that's quite enough, all of you. Jasper, I know you're angry with your brother for casting those awful aspersions upon your character, but right now I really want you to explain your thoughts pertaining to Bella's situation. Can we please leave these other issues alone for now?" We all nodded in agreement and Jasper and Emmett finally returned to their former positions on the ground, even though the air between us was extremely tense as both of my "brothers" continued to take turns glowering at me.

"For starters, Carlisle, I can understand the logic behind her willingness to submit very well, so I would be happy to help you both with this," Jasper said, no doubt reveling in the spotlight of Carlisle's attention. "When I was with Maria I felt the same exact way. Especially before I got a handle on my abilities, I could effortlessly take down dozens of vampires or even a hundred humans with my power. I knew how harmful I could be to those around me. Detaching myself to follow orders helped me maintain some shred of myself. If not for 'the Major' I would have lost my mind to insanity, caught up in the darkness that threatened to consume every ounce of humanity I had left."

"Dude… that's really fucked up. Sorry that happened to you, man," Emmett said with a slap on Jasper's back.

"Bella already asked me to perform in a dominant capacity earlier. I was going to accept her offer right then, but she made a very specific request which I wanted to run by you first. While I have no problem with it at all because I can understand her needs, I know that will not hold true for some of the rest of you… She wants to refer to me as her 'Master' when she feels vulnerable like she did just before Esme took her away." I growled at the thought of Bella directing that title towards Jasper, knowing already how much he would enjoy it on some sick, twisted level.

"Woah Dude," Emmett said with a far-away look in his eyes. "That's all kinds of hot. I wish I could get Rosie to call me that." Emmett looked thoughtful, but shook his head violently when he came to the conclusion that Rosalie would do some horribly vengeful things to him and probably his video game collection if he even asked jokingly.

"See, I knew everyone would react that way. It isn't just a sex thing – domination and submission. Of course, it can be, but Carlisle said Bella seems to like to reaffirm those roles when she uses her power, something I can definitely understand after hearing more about the conditions she learned that behavior." Jasper spoke with a strange, disconnected look in his eyes, drifting through his memories of his disturbing past. I made a great effort to avoid picking up on his mind in moments like that, steering clear of ever vicariously partaking in those thoughts if I could help it.

Finding the connection to his past he was searching for, Jasper continued, "If I had to take a guess at the reason for her request, I would say that it was most likely a firmly engrained lesson - one of her first probably. After everything else she's been through, it might be the hardest and least essential behavior to break her from. I swear I'm not going to hurt her or disrespect her. Besides my promise to you all as my family, I felt how much trust she has in me and I wouldn't want to let her down."

Carlisle leaned to his left and patted Jasper on the shoulder affectionately. "I am satisfied with that and trust your decisions too. Please just be careful with any punishments you give her, Son. Speak to her with a firm voice, but be mindful of your words… And under the circumstances where she is to be given instruction or any conversations in relation to her gifts, she would probably benefit most if you referred to her in the same way as Aro, Marcus, and the entire Volturi Guard. Especially in her submissive state, they all refer to her as 'gattina' or 'kitten' as a subtle reminder to keep herself in control," Carlisle said with a wry smile, thinking of how strange the term of endearment sounded the first time he heard it spoken so lovingly from the notoriously indifferent Marcus Volturi.

Jasper replied with something ridiculous about the way the name fit her personality perfectly, but I was barely listening at that point. I was distracted with my worries about him punishing Bella since I knew how deviant his mind could really be. His recollections and bored musings over the years had given me plenty of indication the types of dirty and despicable things he'd done in his past. Promises or not, I would be watching him just in case.

"If she's so bad-ass, why wouldn't they call her something scarier than…," Emmett stopped to chuckle, "… kitten?"

"Bella actually explained that to me once because _everyone_ around the castle calls her that, not just the Kings. I know you aren't going to like hearing this but because she is their greatest weapon, their most dedicated servant, during proceedings Bella usually kneels between Aro and Marcus' thrones as a sign of her obedience to them. After a particularly grueling secret session in Caius' chamber was cut short for an emergency trial, she had no recovery time and had to pretend to be unaffected for the sake of hiding his indiscretions with her.

"Though no one knew why she did it at the time, after she and Felix destroyed the vampire found guilty of treason against the Volturi, Bella was so exhausted from expending so much of her powers in her weakened condition that once she resumed her customary position kneeling on the floor near the thrones she put her head in Marcus' lap. Apparently, she nuzzled his leg and looked as if she had fallen asleep while he stroked her hair. It's actually very sweet the way those two are with each other. Anyway, I assume it gave her some much needed comfort to be so close to him, so after that day she would often sit with her head on his knee during formal proceedings, associating him with relief and safety."

"Man, it really sucks that even her happy stories are sad," Emmett said with a disconcerted look.

"We are going to change that, Emmett. We all need to make things as loving and normal as possible before she has to begin serving them again," Carlisle said with a distressed look.

"Like hell she's going back there!" Jasper exclaimed with fury, startling me out of my own objections to that idea. "She can't! We can't let her do that!"

"No, we won't, Son. She won't have to go back completely anyway. I explained to Aro and Marcus that since Caius couldn't seem to keep his hands off of her, she would be safest as far away from him as possible. Because of her unique skill set, he was hurting her without their knowledge since shortly after she was turned. Everyone in Volterra is quite taken with her, especially Marcus and Aro, so they agreed to make her their representative in the United States instead of forcing her to endure his abuse. She is to carry out their wishes here and she will be allowed to stay with our family when not on assignment. She still must report to Italy every so often, though I'm sure she'd love to visit her loved ones there anyway even with the threat Caius presents to her. Because under this arrangement they are never without Jane, Alec, Felix or the others for extended periods of time anymore, they were satisfied with the idea."

"Isn't that dangerous for her, Carlisle? And how the hell can she replace the role of so many Guard members?" Jasper asked, rightfully concerned for Bella's safety while functioning as an enforcer and messenger for the Volturi.

"I will let her show you herself, but I guarantee that she is more than capable of physically fulfilling her duty. We have been tasked with making sure she can mentally handle her responsibilities, however. It will be an arduous process, as I am sure you can imagine the kind of ordeal she endured in Volterra. She needs to find some confidence where her powers are concerned and begin to fix the damage Caius did by treating her like an experiment."

"Are we going to be safe living with a Volturi Guard member?" I asked Carlisle while Jasper and Emmett groaned.

My father stared at me, searching the depths of my eyes for something he seemed not to find before he replied. "Edward, we are going to do anything we can for that girl because it is the right thing to do, because she needs us, and whether you believe it or not we need her too. There are things happening right now in our world which are quite… disturbing, and our entire family will be safer this way. I am not saying we are using her for that purpose, but she is a deterrent - not a target. Give her a chance, please. She deserves one, and I guarantee you that she will not disappoint."

Jasper sat up straighter to speak in a more detached, militaristic tone. "Not that I want to agree with Edward… ever, but it could be dangerous to make her powers common knowledge until she's fully ready to handle herself. Is there any chance we can keep her more to ourselves for a while so she can develop herself in peace?"

There was something odd in Jasper's thoughtfulness. It's not that it was all that uncharacteristic of him since he could be as compassionate as he was adept with military strategy, but it seemed like he wanted to keep her close to the family and vicariously himself for an entirely different reason – quite possibly a selfish one.

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. Let me know if you have a question. I'd be happy to answer. :) Thanks!

Next chapter we get to see Bella in action. I might post it tonight because I want everyone to read the cuteness so badly. Wholesome fun for the vampire family up next!

Actually, it's not so wholesome because someone is going to get a serious ass whooping. Guess who?


	6. The Pomp and the Pompous

A/N: To those wondering how I'm updating so quickly, it's because I have about 200 pages of this story already written. That's right, it's a long one. But don't be discouraged, because I promise it's worth it. Some bad guys aren't quite as bad as you think and some are even worse. I have read so many of these stories that I tried my hardest to keep the plot fresh.

With that in mind I need to thank the appropriate people, those who have made certain fandom characterizations which will live in infamy: Jasper's "God of War" title, Peter's power, and plenty of other items which are too numerous to mention. I say that because Bella is going to put on a show here and I don't want anyone getting upset that I "stole" their idea for a cool gift for her to have. A sub-plot of this story is Bella trying to get a handle on the fact she is so powerful and yet still so helpless at times. It's a strange dichotomy that I needed to use a lot of abilities to accomplish, so if one mentioned here is similar to another fic it is purely unintentional and most likely the fault of reading far too much fanfiction for my own good.

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 6 – The Pomp and the Pompous*

Edward's Point of View

After another round of Carlisle's precursory warnings, he finally summoned Bella back to the yard in order to give us this demonstration of what he said was too difficult to explain. I only hoped that all the hype was justified.

"Are you feeling a bit more at ease now, little one?" Carlisle asked Bella as she came to stand just behind and to the right of Jasper, keeping her distance from me as I stood with Esme on the gently sloping hill next to the small clearing behind the house.

"Much better. Thank you for asking, Sir," Bella answered dutifully. "Esme was showing me pictures of the family and telling me some old stories," Bella said, looking at Emmett with amusement in her eyes, clearly having heard some entertaining tale of the prankster's more outrageous exploits. "I had a wonderful time getting to know her. Thank you again for allowing me a moment to collect myself, Sir."

I couldn't believe how Bella was treating Carlisle. I understood her high-esteem for the man to some extent because he saved me as well, but she had such extreme reverence for him that it bordered on the ridiculous. With all of her "Sir" talk, I wouldn't be surprised if she asked to be allowed to kiss his feet later.

I noticed she was staring at me with a cold look in her eyes that I had not seen from her before. It was unnerving, and for some reason I had a suspicion she was sending me uncertainty and fear just like Jasper would because I suddenly wanted to bolt into my room and hide in the closet. I shuddered violently from the emotions Bella was putting off and the empathic duo grinned evilly at my reaction.

Jasper had a very satisfied expression on his face because the twisted vampire that my brother truly was felt proud that his sick little protégé was picking on me. Unbelievable. I hadn't done anything to her to warrant that kind of behavior. I had already planned on speaking to Carlisle about their behavior privately. This was just another issue to add to the list.

"Little one, you should try to extend the feeling of comfort you get from me, Jasper, or Esme to the rest of the family. We trust them _unequivocally_ and after you take some time to get to know them, I am certain you will too. Take a deep breath and feel the trust we have in each other. Try to mirror it in yourself while we talk."

"I will do whatever you think is best, Sir," Bella answered dutifully.

Carlisle addressed Bella more directly, urging her to move from behind Jasper. "First of all, little one, Jasper has spoken to us about what you have requested of him. In the absence of the Kings, I think that he'll be a much better fit for you than me. We have all come to an accord on your desire to call him 'Master', but you may only use 'Major' or 'Sir' outside of the home so the humans don't get wildly out of hand with their rumors. Since I have conceded the prominent position to Jasper, I was wondering… I would like you to consider calling me 'Dad' instead of 'Sir'."

Bella smiled broadly at both Jasper and Carlisle before nodding enthusiastically, appearing as though she wanted nothing more than to hug them but was forced to remain in place by her adherence to some strict protocol I just couldn't understand. Carlisle looked at her with just as much love in his eyes as she had for him and continued with his silly grin. It was easy to hear how pleased he was at her acceptance of the title change, the undeniably contented sound of his voice giving off every indication he loved Bella like his own daughter.

Carlisle continued, "Jasper and I will explain this situation to the other ladies of the house so that you don't have to. They will undoubtedly be very uncomfortable with this arrangement at first, but should come around once they understand the particulars. Agreed?"

"Yes, I agree. Thank you… Dad," Bella said with what I decided was a deceptively shy smile. I had to wonder momentarily if she was somehow pretending to be demure and helpless to appeal to Carlisle's desire to protect the down-trodden. Besides the protective bubble she used to shield Jasper from me, the chilling feeling she continued to give me in intermittent doses through her empathy was enough to lead me to believe she could be just as aggressive and sadistic as her new 'Master'.

Worried for the safety of my family, I considered how much worse she would likely get through Jasper's influence. I decided I needed to get Carlisle far enough away from Bella so that he could see through the damsel in distress act she had clearly used to manipulate his thoughts, hopefully to make it easier to understand just how dangerous she and Jasper were together.

"Now, you need to show the family what you are able to do. Start with your inherent gifts and we'll work from there," Carlisle said proudly, eagerly anticipating the family's reaction to Bella's supposedly impressive capabilities, whatever they were. I could hardly imagine that all of the pomp was warranted.

As I watched her move into a defendable position a bit farther away from all of us, I noticed there was something shifting in her personality. It was clear in her posture, the intensity of her eyes. She looked like an entirely different person. The emotionally fractured vampire we had met earlier was gone, giving way to something even more mysterious. This vampire standing in front of my family now was stealthy and dangerous, radiating a confidence that almost bordered on arrogance as her inner demon simply awaited her Master's command to be unleashed.

She looked at me and snickered, as if she knew something I didn't. Though I was uncomfortable, I tried not to look away, feeling her eyes on me as I continued to assess her personality shift. I shook off her disturbing gaze and tried to ignore the fear I could feel creeping up on me. I had a very bad feeling that being the focus of her attention in this venue was not going to be a good thing.

"Certainly, Dad," Bella replied assertively, her voice sounding far less sweet, "but who is going to be the one to attack me?"

"I think it should be Jasper since you trust him not to hurt you. He is a very formidable opponent though, so you will need to use your full strength against him. Please trust that I will not let you hurt him," Carlisle reassured her as they all moved into position.

She nodded in response, but I was still confused. What was that supposed to mean? How could she hurt _him_? Does she lose control that completely?

"I will stay in control, Dad. I will not disappoint you." Bella turned her attention on her would-be attacker and grinned, dipping her head down respectfully. "Master, please try to attack me with anything you can think of. I will defend with only my physical and mental shield at first… I apologize in advance for any pain I might cause you."

Jasper nodded, slightly awed by her confidence, and ran towards Bella in a quick frontal assault but was halted about halfway there just like I had been. Thrown back by her invisible barrier, his body was propelled fifty feet in the opposite direction. My slack-jawed family was left staring in shock at Bella who was looking completely unfazed at the center of a bubble which had turned slightly less translucent for a moment just after Jasper's impact.

Recovering from the same humbling experience I had endured not too long ago, I watched as Jasper straightened out his clothing and kept his eyes trained on anything but Bella. Having read his thoughts, I already knew that he was employing a trick of misdirection. He was attempting to create the illusion that he hadn't yet re-engaged in the fight, but really he was trying to use his empathy to cause some reaction in Bella. She, however, was completely unaffected again, much to Jasper's dismay.

Although he was surprised, he betrayed nothing externally to indicate anything had happened, or that his power wouldn't work on her. "What now, Carlisle?" Jasper growled in frustration, realizing the futility of his situation.

"Little one, drop your physical shield, but not your mental one. I want you to reciprocate whatever Jasper was trying to do to you a moment ago and add a little extra intensity just to prove the point." Jasper looked surprised that Carlisle knew what he had at least attempted to do, so my father explained, "Son, I know you well enough to assume you would have tried to hit her with something emotional the moment she sent you flying across the yard like a projectile."

"I apologize for this, Master," Bella said sincerely, but before he could respond Jasper fell to the ground. He was shaking, trembling and twisting in the dewy grass. With a strangling noise coming from his throat, he pulled his knees into his chest and his head began turning uncontrollably from side to side.

"Carlisle, what is she doing to him?" Emmett asked, concerned over our brother.

"She's giving him a sample of his own power, Emmett," Carlisle said, looking slightly surprised by the turn of events. "At this moment I am forced to assume we've never seen Jasper use his empathy as a weapon before. I… had no idea just how effective this could be, only a theoretical understanding."

Carlisle didn't need to say anything else because I knew they were all thinking the same thing. The implications made by the intensity of Bella's use of Jasper's power had exposed his past to the others in a way only I had ever known before, having seen scenes like this in his head many times over the years. My empathic brother was very powerful indeed, and given his proclivity towards violence in his past, what he was experiencing now was a fate many had endured by his will for almost a century in the South.

With everyone coming to similarly dark conclusions, Carlisle didn't hesitate to give Bella another command. "Now, little one, ease into a more pleasurable emotion for him and then let him up."

Bella let out a puff of air, looking relieved, as if she was feeling every ounce of discomfort along with my brother for the few minutes since they began. Her brow tightened in concentration and then she began smiling, intensely satisfied. Jasper stopped writhing in what I had to assume was a torrent of agonizing fear and within a fraction of a second his choking groans ceased completely.

To the surprise of everyone on the lawn, he immediately started panting with his eyes clamped shut, his fists clenched tightly. "Oooh-okay, Bella," he moaned, hugging his arms around his own body like he was nervous what they might do on their own volition. "Oh my God, oh Bella!" he yelled and Emmett guffawed, already planning on mocking Jasper for the sounds of ecstasy we were forced to witness. "Wow, that's enough, Darlin'," Jasper somehow managed to say in a drawn-out moan. "Ease off the euphoria a little cuz' I'm getting dizzy!"

She must have done as he requested because Jasper suddenly regained his composure seconds later and sprang to his feet. He was at Bella's side in an instant, hugging her tightly with similar mirth-filled grins on both of their faces. I supposed he was overwhelmed by whatever residual feelings he had from their encounter because without warning he picked her up and spun around, murmuring into her hair. "Thanks for the dose of respect at the end there, Kitten. It sure made me feel better about you kicking my ass all over the yard."

"Well, Master, I had to make up for hurting you somehow," Bella announced happily before switching to a more seductive tone, just above a whisper. "I didn't think you'd be ready for another hunt just yet so I could express myself properly."

I wasn't close enough to be sure, but I thought Jasper might have groaned in response. It was easy enough to assume since Jasper's thoughts flashed immediately to a scene where he was looking deeply into Bella's eyes from a few inches away from her face, their mouths connected to the neck of the same deer as she reached over to caress his face while they drank.

My reaction must have been too obvious as Bella seemed to focus on me like she was about to employ the same cocktail of fear she had to Jasper moments before. I could tell by the savage look on her face she would jump at the chance, but somehow I doubted she would follow it up with anything pleasurable like she had done with my brother.

I took a step back, disgusted over their inappropriately intimate bonding in the woods. Needing to know more, I tried to search Jasper's mind again only to find an impenetrable blanket had been placed around him. Bella. She was now completely shielding his mind from me.

"That's it, Carlisle," I declared, throwing my hands up in frustration. "We all need to know what exactly happened between them earlier because I keep getting flashes of things that seem… wrong," I said disgustedly. "She's shielding him completely from me now, so I know they're hiding something," I said. Seeing Carlisle's hesitation, I blurted, "I think they had sex in the woods and they're trying to hide it from us."

"We did not have sex, Edward, but why would it bother you so much if we had?" Jasper asked coldly, taking the opportunity to make me look foolish.

Angry at the potential of yet another sexual joke at my expense, I retorted, "Oh, no reason. I just thought your _wife_ wouldn't take the news too well that you were rubbing yourself all over our new sister. What do you think Alice would think about that, huh?" Even though Alice had been secretly shopping around for her real mate for the last twenty years or so, I knew she was going to be ridiculously jealous of her deviant husband's 'relationship' with his mentally-ill playmate.

Bella growled fiercely, placing herself between me and Jasper even though I had no intention of attacking him. Seeing her volatility at some perceived threat, Jasper put his hand on her shoulder to keep her in check. It was something she clearly needed, as the detached look in her eyes subsided with the power of a simple touch. He smiled at her compliant behavior, but kept his icy glare trained on me in place of hers which was now downcast in deference to him.

"I guess this is to be expected since you don't know what sex looks like beyond clinical definitions, Edward," he taunted. "Bella and I hunted together, I already told you that. We ended up drinking from the same deer at one point and that is all I'm going to say on this subject because it's none of your damn business," Jasper said with an air of finality. "Besides, as far as Alice goes, she removed her claim on me before she left. Remember? I know that you know she already signed the damn divorce papers too. In fact, you've known all along, haven't you, _brother_?"

"Yes," I said quickly, practically before I even registered the pained expressions on the family members who hadn't had a clue. "I have known for some time that she had divorce papers drawn up, but that doesn't make your behavior any less vile." With disdain clear in my voice, I couldn't help but feel like I had just delivered the last word, something I knew Jasper hated.

"May I speak to Edward, Master?" Bella practically purred at Jasper who suddenly couldn't have looked more pleased. He nodded his approval and she promptly focused her scrutinizing gaze on me. "Edward, I do not like that you keep referring to my Master as a sick deviant… or worse. I heard the things you accused him of doing to me while I was in the house with Esme and I know what you truly think of me, 'his mentally-ill playmate', but I thought you should take a moment to consider that you have been extremely rude and very offensive yourself. You really are in no position to judge."

"What do you mean you _know_ what I _think _of you? … Does this mean she can block _and_ use my power, Carlisle? If I had known I would have tried to block _my_ thoughts from _her_. You should have warned me that my mind could be breached," I screeched in a voice I rarely used, especially directed at my own family.

"Sucks, don't it?" Emmett asked me with a smirk.

"Edward, I didn't explain because we are all still unsure how her gift exactly works. It seems like when someone uses an active power against or near Bella, she then can use it for herself. Sometimes it takes longer than a single encounter to take hold. There seems to be no exact equation of how she acquires them, but with enough exposure she seems to be able to take on any ability she wants. By being able to mimic someone's power, she is essentially able to cancel them out to keep herself safe as an extension of her instinctive shield. That was Eleazar's theory anyway. He practically fainted when she started demonstrating for the Denalis."

"Really?" Emmett asked, intrigued probably by seeing a vampire react that way.

"Apparently his own power was overloaded when he saw how many Bella uses simultaneously. Her mental shield never really goes down, nor does her physical one to some extent, which is the reason she cannot be burned unless she wills it."

"So if someone with a power uses it against you, you can recreate it for yourself. That is amazing, little sister," Emmett said excitedly, looking as dumb-struck as usual.

Bella growled at me and I felt fear creeping up inside me again. Jasper glanced at me and smiled, purposely turning his face into an impassive mask as he moved in front of Bella. "Kitten, let's leave Edward with his _thoughts_ for the moment and you can continue to impress Emmett some more." Jasper rubbed the back of his hand gently across her cheek and she gave me one last dose of fear before she pulled back her power.

"Yes, Master," she said in a mechanical voice, quickly morphing back into playful mode. "Emmett, would you like me to shock you with a low volt like Katie? Or I could make a small cloud over your head, though I'm not sure if you'd be able to tell since it seems like it's always cloudy here."

"Hells yeah, Belly Bear. This is so awesome. I'll be your guinea pig, just don't rough me up too bad or we'll have to wrestle for real. I can guarantee I won't make it as much fun for you as it obviously was with Jazz." Emmett waggled his eyebrows at both Jasper and Bella before laughing like a fool and running backwards, hoping to entice someone to chase him.

Feeling humbled by the encounter, I sat down to better observe Bella use her mimic power, trying to figure out a way to keep my thoughts to myself so I didn't get embarrassed like that again. I sat there for what felt like an eternity, watching the source of my recent troubles ingratiate herself even more within my family.

Now that I had calmed down, I begrudgingly had to admit that Bella was rather impressive. Aside from her appearance which I had found striking from the first moment I saw her, Bella's extraordinary speed, strength, and overall versatility made it almost impossible to stop her. Now I understood why the Volturi did what they did to keep her loyal, however barbaric their methods. It was obvious she could easily destroy a room full of vampires in seconds, and now she would forever be their most unbeatable weapon wrapped up in an innocent-looking package.

The brilliance of their plan did nothing to mitigate my opinion of the depravity vampires were willing to commit in the name of survival, what Bella had endured was proof of that. Thinking about what they did to ensure their own safety made me remember the scene Carlisle accidentally provided me with earlier. I felt guilty about how I treated her after observing Bella's thoughtful interaction with my family. She seemed funny and kind, and I was certain she was a wonderfully sweet human. The things that had happened to her were some of the reasons I always felt vampires were true monsters, no matter their choice in diet.

But here she stood in front of my family, virtuous and good-natured now that I hadn't upset her any further. Watching her play around and talk to all of them so happily allowed me the opportunity to see the person my brother met in the woods – the real Bella. This was the girl Carlisle knew and cared for so deeply, the one he claimed as a daughter with the most profound sense of satisfaction in his thoughts that I had ever read from him since the day Esme became his mate.

It was then that I realized why I had acted the way I had towards her. As much as I disliked the situation with Jasper, I had actually felt threatened by her relationship with Carlisle more. When Emmett and I arrived back from our hunt, we were waiting for Esme, Jasper, and our new sister to get home to make our introductions. Carlisle had finally unveiled her name to us and began to regale us in some stories of their travels.

Moments after Esme arrived, we heard Jasper and Bella approaching and Carlisle had gotten visibly more excited. While my father spoke so proudly of this newborn vampire, I read his thoughts and knew how deep his devotion for her ran. I was mortified that his sentiments towards her equaled that of his regard for me, and I had feared it possibly surpassed it. That alone lit the fire of jealousy within me.

I might have been able to extinguish the envious flame if we had all met properly, but fate had other plans it seemed. After seeing how close she was with Jasper when I believed Carlisle intended for her to be my companion, I felt incensed with jealousy. I knew it might have taken some time, but two single vampires in a house full of mated couples would surely have led to our inevitable relationship. I wanted her to be mine in the way Emmett had Rose and Jasper used to have Alice. I couldn't help but think it wasn't fair that Jasper had already gotten so close to her before anyone else – before I even had a chance. If I had been the one she met in the woods, would it have been us tangled in an embrace like they had been?

For some reason I hadn't mentioned the full extent of what I knew happened between them in the woods. Even when I was livid and yelling at them, I never revealed that I knew they kissed - a lot. Having read his mind before Bella hid his thoughts from me, I was unfortunately aware of exactly how much Jasper enjoyed it. Knowing his propensity towards action, it was amazing how hard he fought between his own desire to continue and his restraint to stop for the sake of propriety.

Admittedly, I had only said that they had sex so Carlisle and Esme would be angry with Jasper for taking advantage of Bella. It was a foolish attempt to keep them separated, though at that moment I had severely underestimated the intensity of the whole relationship between them since they had only just met.

Feeling a prickle of awareness that alerted me to the fact I was being watched, I looked up from the tiny dandelion I had been staring at to find Bella already looking at me. With a gentle lift of her eyebrow she encouraged my train of thought, gracing me with the first sincere smile she had aimed in my direction since we met.

I realized that the entire time she had been displaying her other gifts, she had been listening to me working through my thoughts on her. That was awkward. It would definitely take some getting used to in having another mind-reader around, especially since that was something so new to me.

I would have to try to make things up to her even if I didn't agree with her strange way of dealing with the burden of so many talents. Maybe I could help her come to a different solution. Being submissive to Jasper was simply not a good idea since he was not who she thought he was. He certainly had no business kissing her like that, let alone encouraging her to submit to him like some kind of lowly sex slave.

A low warning growl made me realize I had done it again as she grinned menacingly at first before changing to a bit more playful demeanor, reminding me we could be friendly but not to think about Jasper like that in her presence. She did not seem to handle maliciousness towards her new Master very well. She nodded at me, confirming my beliefs and went back to her exhibition as if nothing substantial had just occurred.

It was amazing to me that she had such an effect on me so quickly. Any lingering dark thoughts, of which there were only a few, pertaining to Bella were completely obliterated after she displayed her ability to project images into our minds. Using a scene of someone, one of the Volturi Guard members based on their dark robes, trying to chase her after she tied their shoelaces together, making them trip during a training exercise was extremely comical. Using her gift like a slideshow, she continued to show us some amazing sights from her trip back to America with Carlisle. There was a beautiful garden somewhere that she had seemed to be fixated on, a snowcapped mountain range where she found some interesting wild game, and Carlisle reading in the sunlight on the Denali's porch; it was beautiful.

Seeing how well Bella's "talent show" was working in easing our family back together after the earlier tension, Carlisle requested that Jasper and I ask Emmett some embarrassing questions that he would usually lie about. Apparently Bella also had the ability to detect lies and then compel the truth to be told, something Emmett believed would come in very handy the next time Rosalie suggested we play 'Truth or Dare'.

"Okay, Emmett, the time Rosalie came home and found all those tiny tears on the back of your shirt, what really happened to you?" Jasper asked with a smirk, circling Emmett like a shark as my larger brother plopped down on the grass to get comfortable for his imminent interrogation.

"Uh, I was at the mall and some crazy human girl from the nail salon tried to convince me to get a pedicure. When I pulled away from her grasp, her 3-inch long hot-pink nails made some tears in my shirt," Emmett answered swiftly, but he was concentrating hard enough on hiding his memory of the actual "incident" that it made it obvious to me that he was lying even if I didn't know exactly what about.

"Oh no you don't, Emmett. Try again. I want to hear the truth about… both of those stories," Bella demanded and Emmett cringed. "There was definitely something else going on with the nail salon. That part was true, just not the whole truth," Bella insisted with a knowing smirk that reminded me of Alice. Bella grimaced at me, obviously insulted by the comparison as we waited for her power to take effect on Emmett.

Having seen her wince at Alice's name, I realized that Bella must have heard my thoughts earlier regarding my psychic sister and her long search for her real mate. To my knowledge she had not mentioned it to Jasper yet, otherwise I was sure he would have confronted me about it. She shook her head slightly without the others realizing we were silently communicating, much to my relief. I was grateful for her discretion on this matter because Jasper and the rest of my family would have been quite angry that I had known Alice intended on leaving him the moment she felt the mating pull towards another, no matter how long they'd been together or what lies she told him to string him along over the years. She had not even prepared him for the eventuality of finding a different mate until fairly recently, and I still didn't understand why.

"Fine, Bella you little She-Devil," Emmett grumbled through clenched teeth, looking uncomfortable but impressed by her lie-detector skill which had finally won out over his attempt to refuse. "I had accidentally chased an especially wily mountain lion close to a residential area and hadn't noticed the tiny heartbeat of a house cat in the tree above me. It attacked the hell out of my back while I was draining the bigger cat. Okay? Happy now? Emmett got clawed by a big fat kitty-cat. Satisfied?"

"Not yet," Bella giggled. "Nail salon?" She lifted her eyebrow quizzically in a very Jasper-like gesture, daring him to try to hide the truth again.

"Argh, fine. I got a damn pedicure. Okay?" Emmett huffed as a round of laughter began from our family. Even Esme was laughing now, and hadn't bothered to correct his crude language due to her giggling. "One day when I was bored, I got curious since Rosie was always telling me how much she loved having her nails done. I didn't think anyone would notice because I only got a clear coat done. Obviously I didn't let them cut my nails since they would have seen how impossible that was, but they put my feet in a warm foot bath thing and it was really relaxing… That was until the talon-clawed woman I mentioned came over asking me if I wanted her to wax my… area. She called it 'man-scaping', but I think she just wanted a peek at 'Little Emmett' so I got the hell out of there. Now whenever Rosie drags me shopping I have to avoid that entire wing of the mall lest that crazy man-scaper offer me a discount for being a repeat customer or something."

Everyone broke out in a fit of raucous laughter after Emmett's admission, much to his chagrin. After the hilarity of Em's "interrogation" died down, Bella was obviously feeling more comfortable with him. With Jasper's approval she agreed to wrestle with Emmett, but only if he could catch her first. I noticed Jasper chuckle darkly before going to stand next to Esme, clearly expecting to see something interesting that only Carlisle seemed to understand. My father looked like he was anticipating even more entertainment at the expense of my typically cocky brother.

At first Emmett and Bella were laughing and casually chasing each other around the back yard, but when Emmett started teasing her I could tell she was eager to put him in his place. I had to assume that he was naïve enough to think she only had skills due to her powers, clearly not having paid as much attention to her other abilities earlier as I had. She was cunning. Carlisle had already alluded to the fact she would hold back in order to size up an opponent, but Emmett was not known for his observation skills and probably got distracted by the notion that she had wrestled with jasper at all.

"You are just too sweet and innocent, girly," Emmett teased, tapping her on one shoulder and running around her back. He was trying to instigate a proper wrestling match, but she kept refusing to take the bait.

"But, Emmett, wouldn't you rather show me up in a race first? Otherwise how would you know if I was even worthy to wrestle with a competitor such as yourself," Bella said innocently, challenging him to different distance races around the yard. I had to wonder if she was nervous to engage him because she found her ability off-putting and she had made so much head-way in winning over my giant brother.

Correctly having gauged Emmett's love of rough play, Bella would let him get in front of her and give him a zap to make him run faster, or cause him to fall down altogether based on the intensity. If she got in front of him he would lift her up under her arms and toss her up in the air to show he still had some game. It was a constant one-upsmanship between the two of them. They looked so at ease with each other, almost like they were true siblings that had known each other their entire lives.

"Come now, I thought you were supposed to be some tough Volturi Guard member, but you're just a little girly-girl. Think you can take on the big bad grizzly?" Emmett asked Bella, trying to egg her into a play-fight.

"When I wrestle with Felix like this, he calls me 'Kitten', not girly. Though in your case, 'Kitten' might bring back awful memories of being attacked by fat housecats so I can understand your reluctance, _Grizzly_," Bella countered, creating another chorus of laughter at Emmett's expense.

Jasper looked very uncomfortable for a moment and the only thing I could think of as the reason for his intense expression was the idea of Bella fighting the notorious Volturi strongman. Felix had a very well-known reputation for being a ruthless combatant, yet Bella spoke of him with such love and kindness that I was intrigued how she had seen anything other than his brutality.

As soon as Emmett got into an attack pose Bella glanced at Jasper, an interaction my largest brother was clearly not paying attention to. The way she waited for his consent made me realize Emmett got tricked. Setting a note of foreboding, Jasper nodded his approval enthusiastically and I prepared to witness whatever unexpected abilities she had yet to showcase.

Emmett lunged for Bella at full speed, but she sidestepped him effortlessly with a speed she had yet to show. After springing into the air, she flipped over his head and landed in front of where he had stopped when he finally realized he never even touched her. Her movements were so incredibly fast that even with my vampire senses, I only saw her smile and heard her giggle for a fraction of a second before Bella grabbed Emmett by the waist and suplexed him with such an incredible force the ground shook.

Jasper couldn't resist the opportunity to remind everyone that he had fallen for Bella's tricks first. "See, I warned you guys. She's a dirty little cheater."

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. Let me know if you have a question. I'd be happy to answer. :)

And a special thanks to all those who have reviewed and all those who will! I'm not too ashamed to admit you make me giddy! Seriously, I blush like Bella all the time. It's rather embarrassing actually. :)


	7. A Hard Lesson Learned

A/N: Edward is struggling to grow in a different way than the rest of these characters. He will have setbacks in his way of thinking, but Bella will force change in everyone, especially him. He is confused about… well, you'll see. For now we'll just let him make his mistakes and hope he learns from them.

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 7- A Hard Lesson Learned*

Edward's Point of View – Sunday evening

"Have you seen Bella?" I asked with a tone of determination that obviously intrigued my father.

"She's in Jasper's study," he said, glancing up at me from over the top of his newspaper. "He and Emmett are giving her another 'Pretending to be Human' tutorial in preparation for school tomorrow. What's on your mind, son?"

Feeling uncomfortable stating my intentions so plainly, I sat down at the table across from my father. "I wanted to ask her to go out… not like a date or anything, but to see if she would want to go somewhere else for a change. She's been cooped up here since she arrived and I thought she might enjoy seeing Port Angeles, or Forks, at least."

"You're right," he said encouragingly. "That would be nice to bring her out to socialize like a normal teenager, but Jasper or Emmett would have to go with you." Seeing me shirk, he pressed on, "Please do not be offended, but she seems a little put-off by you still. I know you have some romantic inclinations towards her and she might grow to have feelings for you as something other than a brother _someday_, but until then you must not push her. I too was hoping you two would connect, but for whatever reason she is intensely drawn to Jasper."

I knew the moment the guilt in my heart spread to the expression on my face, as my father's thoughts turned inquisitive. Carlisle politely asked out loud, "Did something happen that I should know about, Edward?"

Something had happened, but I preferred Carlisle not know the grievous error I made on Bella's first night with us. To my knowledge it had remained a secret and I was reluctant to make it otherwise. Instead of answering, I simply looked past him out the window towards the backyard, disgusted with myself and trying to find the right words as I recalled my faux pas a few days before.

Feeling depleted from exerting herself so much during her demonstration, we went on our first family hunt with the newest member of the Cullens. Emmett's persistent begging led everyone to watch him provoke a bear on Bella's behalf, as she insisted she wasn't interested in playing with her food first.

"Why would I need to bag another bear when I've already taken down 'the Grizzly'?" she teased, reminding him of his tragically funny defeat at her tiny hands in the backyard.

Emmett, ever the resilient and rascally character, wanted to get the giant bear riled up and then have his newly claimed baby sister take it down. While it seemed outwardly generous, Emmett's mischievous smile led me to believe it was a poorly executed attempt at retribution for Bella embarrassing him during their fight. I had to assume he thought aggravating the bear would lead to Bella having difficulty feeding, something he could use to feel superior.

Although she seemed to appreciate the extra effort Emmett went through to not only get her back but to make sure she enjoyed herself, he didn't listen to her insistence at the futility of his endeavor. To prove her point, Bella eventually acquiesced, prompting her to kill the frustrated beast so quickly that the sulking brute practically cried that all of his hard work had truly been pointless.

After Emmett regained his composure, and the rest of us stopped laughing, we spent the rest of the evening enjoying ourselves as a family, running around the woods chasing each other for hours. We each showed Bella some of our favorite places: the bluffs looking over the river past the edge of the property which my parents frequented, a cave with a hot spring whose original occupant Emmett had long since removed, and an enormous redwood tree that was so tall I would go up there and imagine I was in the clouds. Jasper had declined bringing us to his spot, deliberately looking Bella in the eye and saying, "She already knows." I had some suspicion what he was referring to, but didn't want to press the issue.

At one point during the evening I became thrilled that Bella had managed to relax around me, actually engaging me in amiable conversation here and there. She talked about Volterra and the nearby forest life, describing her favorite place to go and think to get away from the tumultuousness of the castle. It wasn't too personal, but it was a start. In the end I felt like we had overcome a great hurdle, hoping to form a friendship between us out of our rocky start.

For a brief moment during our final hunt of the evening I thought there could be potential for more between us, feeling a palpable amount of lust radiating off of Bella. That was until I realized the whole time she was speaking to me she had been keeping Jasper in her sights, watching him stalk his prey with an almost predatory stare of her own.

I tried not to let their oddly close relationship bother me, attempting to fall in line with the rest of the family's almost automatic acceptance of the two of them. Seeing them together, I could understand it to some extent. I knew Bella needed him, relied on him in order to stay in control, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that he wanted her near him just as much. In fact, he was watching her more often than where he was going. That was a point that was made abundantly clear after he had boisterously run into a tree, paying more attention to her movements through the forest than his own.

Jasper's misstep resulted in an endless supply of material for Emmett to use for some well-earned retaliation. The empath had been relentlessly teasing him all night, saying that the bear had lasted longer against Bella than Em had. Disgruntled and filthy from all the frivolity in the woods, especially after his provocation of the unruly bear, Emmett purposely hugged Jasper as tightly as he could. Em's "bear-hug" successfully transferred his muddy, leaf covered mess to Jasper's hair and clothing, making the two of them quite a sight to behold as they trudged home.

When we arrived home my brothers were both in desperate need of a shower. Since vacating the room he had shared with Alice, Jasper had been using the shower in the bathroom across the hall from his study, which ironically was now Bella's bedroom. Since Jasper knew that Bella was feeling extremely vulnerable from using her gifts so openly with all of us, he allowed her to wait there for him to finish. I felt bitter in my thoughts, trying to shake off my sarcasm at his "magnanimous" attitude about the whole situation; it was her room now after all.

As soon as I could hear my brother under the spray of the water, I moved into action. I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to talk with Bella privately, possibly to apologize for getting off on the wrong foot with her. Quietly entering the bedroom without knocking as to keep Jasper unaware of my actions, I made my initial mistake. When I found her seemingly oblivious to my presence, kneeling on the floor facing the closed bathroom door in what I deemed to be an extremely degrading pose, I lost my common sense and surprised her with my insulting internal diatribe.

Not used to controlling my own thoughts from the intrusion of mind-reading, I couldn't help but think she looked like a pathetic dog waiting for her owner to return. No sooner than I had processed the thought, she had me pinned against the nearest wall with such force that the whole room shook. She snarled fiercely in my face before inducing the burning pain I deemed a courtesy of Bella's exposure to Jane Volturi.

I was instantly writhing in silent agony for what felt like an eternity, but was really only a few seconds. Bella released me from her hold, staring at her hands with a guilty Lady Macbeth-like expression. The sob which escaped her beautiful lips, her whimpered cries resonated to my core for an entirely different reason than the memory of the physical pain she had just inflicted upon me.

The noise she made sounded like her soul pleading with a higher power to fix the mistake that was made in creating someone so powerful, so capable that she could not truly trust herself. In that instant I better understood her need to submit because she was accidentally projecting all of her fears and guilt onto me. She felt recklessly out of control and insecure to the point I wanted to cry for her. I had never seen someone look like they wanted to jump out of their own skin as much as she did right then.

Without the slightest hesitation after realizing she had attacked me, she ran to find some semblance of safety, driving her straight into the shower with Jasper. To say the empath was more than a little shocked at his surprise visitor would have been an understatement. He didn't even get the chance to question her intrusion, but I knew he could see me slumped against the wall from his vantage point in the shower since the bathroom door was hanging on its hinges from the force of her sudden entrance. I didn't dare move even though he looked furious with me, realizing what probably caused Bella's abrupt entrance into his private space. She was terrified and angry with herself and it was entirely my fault for doing the opposite of everything we had agreed upon when dealing with Bella only hours before.

Despite being completely naked and soaking wet, Jasper held Bella like a baby under the warm water, softly singing to her until she calmed down enough to explain to him what she had done to me. Realizing his state of undress after she finally relaxed into him, I could see she was mortified over her behavior once again. Despite the fact she seemed acutely aware of his nakedness now, she still did not leave his side. Instead, she once again chose to cling tighter to him like he was her only lifeline, her whole world.

Many minutes, I wasn't sure how many, had gone by and the steamy shower had turned cold, the billowing tufts of heated air entering the bedroom beginning to wane. Aside from Jasper's rocking motion while cradling Bella in his arms, we had all remained still; the two of them locked in an embrace on the shower floor with me in exactly the same position where Bella had left me when she sought out my brother for comfort.

Finally having had enough of the tenuous situation, Jasper stood with Bella in his arms, somehow wrapping himself in a towel with one hand before carrying the completely soaked, emotionally damaged girl off to his study across the hall. With a single look which conveyed the weight of his heavy thoughts, Jasper finally spoke to me in his mind. _'You might be smart, Edward, but that was a really stupid thing to do. Up until this point in your life you've never learned what pain really is. If you do something like that to her ever again, I will make sure to teach you that hard lesson myself.'_

Broken out of my memory of one incident which I wished to forget, Carlisle cleared his throat to get my attention. I realized I still had not answered my concerned father's question. Embarrassed by the source of my silence, I reluctantly replied, "I had not considered the extent of her power since she seemed distracted at the time, and as such failed to adjust myself to the new telepathic situation accordingly. Although I have already apologized for it several times, I thought something improper in her presence. I have been looking for ways to make it up to her ever since."

"I know it's difficult for you, Son, but you will get used to it eventually… We did," he said with a light chuckle. "Bella usually avoids using her powers as much as possible. She must have been feeling very unguarded at that moment and picked up on your thoughts unintentionally."

"Possibly," I said, thinking back to her position in front of the door. She was kneeling in what could have been a yoga pose, looking sedate from her even breathing. "She almost appeared to be meditating at the time. I hate that I made her so uncomfortable with me; first with our initial impressions of each other and then the incident afterwards. I have gotten to know and respect her over the past few days and I really want to fix it. I'll invite both Emmett and Jasper to come with us, anything it takes to make her feel safe around me."

"I think that she will appreciate your effort, if nothing else. Why don't you let me ask everyone to go as a group so she doesn't get too suspicious about why you would be proposing the idea? Bella needs school supplies anyway so that could work well as the focal point of the outing instead of your purposeful endeavor to gain her trust. That might come off as overly manufactured, well-intentioned as it may be." Carlisle smiled at me when I nodded in agreement of his idea. Sensing my intentions were noble, my father called the family to the living room to propose the idea on my behalf.

*******************An Hour Later********************

"Belly Bear, I found the perfect backpack for you. Two of them, actually, so come and pick one because they are both equally awesome," Emmett said in his baritone voice so loudly that everyone in the aisle looked up to see the source of the commotion. I snickered at the bags Emmett deemed "perfect" for our new sister. Emmett's favorite was a pink 'Care Bear' Backpack that looked like an actual teddy bear but with shoulder straps and a rainbow emblazoned tummy which unzipped. The other was a tiny 'Hello Kitty' bag so small it would barely hold a stack of Post-It notes. I had a feeling he just liked it because of the 'Kitty' factor, which had become something of an inside joke now, both through Bella's nickname and Emmett's epic house cat attack.

Being off season for school supplies, we had gone to Newton's Outfitters to find Bella a backpack. For some reason, as soon as we arrived Bella became fascinated by the firearm section of the store. She had barely glanced at the stuff we came for before dragging Jasper away to look at the weapons. Having an interest in weaponry himself and extensive experience with rifles in his human life, Jasper eagerly explained the guns in the display case to Bella, who looked like a natural as she browsed through the munitions.

I had to wonder if there was some latent memory provoking her curiosity in the guns, but there was really no way to know. Bella had revealed to us several nights before that she only retained fragments of memories of her mother and a faceless man she thought might have been her father. She didn't even know her real last name, her first having been inscribed on a silver nameplate necklace she had been wearing the day she was turned.

"Hey, Emmett, Edward, can I help you guys find anything?" Mike Newton asked in a completely uninterested tone until he saw what Emmett was holding from his vantage point at the entrance to the aisle. He furrowed his eyebrows at the items in my giant brother's hands before looking around to see if he was being pranked. I rolled my eyes at his assumptions before dismissively returning to ignoring Mike, pretending to be suddenly interested in the thermoses which truly held much more appeal to me than talking to him.

Outwardly I barely acknowledged him when he gathered enough nerve to approach us, but then I reconsidered after remembering the novelty items the teen just discovered Emmett holding. Seeing the perplexed expression on the stock-boy's face, I could hardly resist the temptation to hear his thoughts on the subject of my brother's potential purchases. _'I wonder if I should tell them about the new shortened return-policy. This big idiot's only got three days to bring this shit back or he'll have to keep it. Once he realizes how silly it would be to show up to school like that he'll… holy hell, who the fuck is that?'_

I only had to wonder what had distracted Mike for a moment. His thoughts had turned crass the moment Bella and Jasper had finally come over to appraise the merchandise in Emmett's hands. Mike's mind immediately flooded with images of Bella naked, a reel of scenarios shifting in his mind until he finally settled on one.

It was startling enough to have a glimpse into his imagination on our mutual subject of interest, but I became extremely uncomfortable the moment fantasy-Mike unzipped his pants, beckoning fantasy-Bella to crawl over to him hungrily without ever saying a word to her. He then switched to a daydream about him punching me and my brothers in the face and having sex with Bella right in front of us to prove just how great he was with women. I knew I had always disliked him for good reason, and this was just another example of why.

With the look of revulsion clear on my face, Jasper knew the lust he could feel from Mike towards Bella corresponded with some very crude imagery and he barely stifled his growl from human perception. Even though I felt just as murderous as my brother, the girl who possessed both of our powers simultaneously seemed to handle Mike's reaction to her in stride. Apparently Carlisle had been correct in his assessment of Bella's ability to deal with hormonal human boys, not that I ever should have doubted him in the first place.

Ignoring the awe-struck human, she let go of Jasper's hand and went to stand next to the gentle giant with the tiny pink bags. "Oh my goodness, brother bear, do you honestly think I'm going to school tomorrow with a four year-old's backpack, or this… stuffed animal with shoulder straps? What do you take me for, Emmy? I might be your little sister, but I'm not a child."

Bella huffed dramatically as she grabbed the bags from Emmett and quickly tossed the smallest one down on the shelf. She then brought the plush, stuffed bear backpack up to her face for a moment. She closed her eyes as she nuzzled it against her cheek, making a little moan of pleasure which caused three out of the four of us males present to groan softly at her innocent, seductive display. As usual, Emmett was completely unaffected by the flirtatious gestures Bella had a habit of conveying accidentally. Rosalie would be proud.

Realizing Mike, Jasper, and I were practically drooling while staring at her, she giggled before handing the bag back to Emmett and practically cooed at him. "Hmm, this is pretty cuddly, but I still prefer Jasper."

Mike gulped and looked at Jasper with a palpable amount of envy that you needn't be an empath to feel. Sensing Mike's shock, Jasper smiled from being flattered publicly, content with Bella's handling of the situation thus far. Concerned with Bella's effect on the male populace, Jasper wanted to make sure she was aware of the bystander watching her like a sugary confection. Clearing his throat, he politely began the proper introductions. "Darlin', this is Mike Newton. Mike this is Bella, our new sister."

"Uh-uh-um hello, B-b-ella," Mike stammered, trying to find some semblance of normal speech in the presence of the beautiful creature in front of him. Bella was too good at pretending to be human in conversations. She had practiced her routine so much with us that she could easily fool other humans with her intentional fidgeting, awkward movements, or in this case her pretend nail biting. If anything drawing attention to her mouth was causing Mike's tiny brain to go haywire with intense erotic imagery, something I think Bella was both aware of and secretly loved after I noticed the coy smile on her face.

"Nice to meet you, Mike. Do you go to Forks High?" Bella asked politely and Mike nodded dumbly in return, apparently rendered understandably speechless at the sight of her. "Maybe we'll have some classes together. I'm sure it will be helpful to know someone besides my awesome brothers."

"Yeah, your… um brothers? What's… I mean, how… where did you…?" he stammered, a bright red flush coming over his cheeks.

Acting slightly affronted, Bella returned, "Are you trying to ask how I came to the Cullens, Mike? It's kind of personal so I'd really rather not get into it. I will say that despite the sad beginning, it has a really happy ending."

"Bells said 'Happy Ending'," Emmett chuckled and Bella smacked his arm playfully before reclaiming her spot at Jasper's side, automatically grabbing his hand out of a habit they had developed over the past few days. Mike definitely noticed their body language and almost constant contact too, his thoughts hitting me like a slap in the face.

'_I can't believe Jasper's nailin' this girl already. Dude sure works fast, not that I can blame him though cuz' this chick is crazy hot... I wonder how they divvy up the chicks so that Edward still doesn't have one. Hmm, maybe all the boys get a shot and then the "sister" picks which "brother" she wants… These Cullen guys are all such rich dicks, but goddamn it if they are not the luckiest fuckers on the planet if they get to see both Rosalie and this Bella girl naked… oh, better yet, naked together. And then their hot mom can…'_

Unbelievably lost in his rambling pornographic thoughts, Mike began subconsciously inching towards the subject of his lust-filled fantasy. Jasper immediately saw the incremental encroachment and put his other hand over their clasped ones while I stepped a little closer to Bella's unoccupied side, trying to convey the message that touching her in anyway would not be a welcomed gesture.

Deciding it would be best to end this impromptu chat soon, I casually hinted, "Bella, Esme expects us home in a few hours and we still need to get you some new clothes." One look at Jasper and I could tell we wouldn't have long before he exploded from the onslaught of lust and jealousy in the air. My empathic brother appeared to be having a difficult time deciding between kissing Bella's pouty lips or punching Mike in the face. Although I tended to lean towards passivity like Carlisle, I was kind of hoping for the latter.

Despite the tense climate, Emmett could not resist further antagonizing Mike, obviously aware the dim-witted teen had it bad for his little sis. Not one to waste an opportunity, Em enthusiastically agreed with me. "Yeah, we have to hurry if we're going to make it to Victoria's Secret in enough time for you to model your outfits for us before they close."

Sensing Emmett's playfulness, Bella retorted quickly. "That's okay, Emmy. We'll just buy whatever you guys like and I'll put on a show when we get home. Oooh, can I use Rosalie's stripper pole?" Mike squeaked with widened eyes and swallowed hard at the imagery Bella provided with her comment. "If there is stuff you don't like, then we'll just return it. Hopefully they'll have more than a three-day return-policy like this store because that just doesn't seem like long enough to try everything out."

I winced and all of the vampires present collectively understood that Bella accidentally referred to something Mike never said out loud otherwise they would have heard it too. The confused teen tilted his head in thought over whether he revealed that information, but he became slightly distracted when he noticed Jasper squeeze Bella's hand.

She quietly whispered, "Sorry, Sir", causing Mike to pick up on the "Sir" portion. He began wondering why Bella would call her new brother/boyfriend that before he came to the conclusion that Jasper was probably very demanding. Concluding that Jasper had the control in their relationship, Mike didn't realize how right he was in his assessment. Although I might have still been a little bitter about that myself.

Knowing there was a profound need to distract Mike from piecing together her mind-reading blunder, Bella put her hand on his shoulder and smiled brightly. He looked disoriented for a moment so she took that as the perfect time to leave him stunned in her wake, all without actually addressing how she knew what she did.

Allowing herself to be guided by Jasper and flanked by me and Emmett, she called back over her shoulder, "See you tomorrow, Mike. It was very nice to meet you." He nodded dumbly as we left, but just as we turned the corner I noticed him reach out for the pink bear Bella had left behind, taking it with him as he headed ran towards the stockroom.

Stepping outside into the cool night air, we all simultaneously realized we had failed to buy Bella her requisite backpack. Deciding that our shopping expedition was a failure and would require a trip to the mall which would be closed shortly, Emmett suggested taking Bella to the movies instead.

While all of the Cullens enjoyed going to the movies, it was more for the purpose of observing the ridiculous things the humans did under the perception of anonymity in the darkness of the theater. As vampires we could see perfectly in the low light and we were also able to hear all of their whispered conversations, both of which proved reliably more entertaining than most of the movies that passed as entertainment these days. Bothered by these heightened senses most of the time, in this venue they became the focal point, an amusing reality-driven theatrical performance which only we could appreciate.

"This place is packed. That's a surprise considering its Sunday night," Bella said quietly as we waited for our tickets.

"Don't knock it, Bells. This is the only night life to be found in a sleepy little town like ours," Emmett joked. "You should just be glad we're taking you to see a kick-ass action movie and not some boring, tear-jerking chick flick that will make the futility of trying to cry without tears that much more depressing."

"Hey, I thought there was nothing wrong with getting in touch with your feminine side, Mr. Mani-Pedi," Jasper said with a snicker. I usually tried not to get involved with their childish taunting matches, but I had to laugh at that clever moniker.

"Don't worry, Jazz, I'll get you back for that. Anyway, I'm just glad we lucked out because Bells is just like one of the guys. I swear Rosie was crying the other day just because she couldn't cry. Girls are so weird."

"Hey, Mr. Pedi, I am still a girl, I just happen to enjoy rough-housing with all of you guys. Plus, you three are way more fun to wrestle with, especially when I let you win," Bella said proudly, before turning her attention behind us to scowl at the silly fourteen year-old boys who overheard her boisterous comment and offered to hold her down for a three count if we refused.

With the exception of Bella, we were a little surprised at their audacity. While people always objectified us, they usually didn't do it within the range of hearing a human would anticipate being overheard. Mike, of course, was exempt from this rule because he was just that much of an idiot that he didn't recognize the danger we presented. Though some humans would approach us to flirt, it was not usually to an offensive degree unless they were impaired or intoxicated. Even with our more inconspicuous golden eyes, humans instinctively sensed a predator in their midst when confronted with one of us - let alone four. They would have no idea precisely what it was engaging their flight or fight response, but they would be aware that there was something off about us. Apparently this concept no longer held true with Bella around, everyone was being drawn to her regardless.

After getting our tickets and heading inside so the usher could rip them for admittance, Bella asked with wonder, "So, why are we being treated like royalty? You know, exalted from afar and all that. It's… weird."

"Everything okay, Sugar?" Jasper whispered to her as the usher tore our stubs.

"Sorry, Major, I just thought it was odd that everyone is so shamelessly staring at us. I mean, without my Volturi robe on to signify my status, I'm not used to being looked at so… differently," she said, dipping her head to the side to reference a group of three freshmen girls who almost dropped their popcorn when Emmett smiled at them.

"Does it bother you, Darlin'? It would be good for you to know now that this will likely pale in comparison to the way everyone will be behaving tomorrow at school," Jasper said, truly concerned for the next day as we all already expected it to be difficult. "They gawk and talk about us already, but the sudden appearance of such a beautiful lady in a family who is already gossiped about like a tabloid is likely to cause quite an uproar."

"It's fine, I guess, if this is normal for you all. I just thought it was weird that some guy took my picture with his cell phone. He was thinking about looking at it later in a more… um, private setting. Although, I suppose that's what it's like to have paparrazi taking pictures of you like in those magazines Janie always wanted me to read with her. But if that's normal then I suppose when in Rome - well, in Forks - I'll just have to go along with it," she said with a shrug as we made our way through the busy atrium.

We all froze in anger over her innocent admission, though I was also frustrated that I had somehow missed the man's thoughts about Bella. My gift was being affected from having to concentrate on shielding my thoughts from her. Evidently that meant that I was not receiving the thoughts of others as easily as well.

"Who took your picture, Bella?" Jasper asked quietly and she mentally projected the man's face into his mind. He nodded and inclined his head to us in the direction of the man whose phone we would be destroying momentarily.

Walking casually in that direction, I was positive I would need a cold shower if the man's vivid daydreaming was allowed to continue about my "sister". Since my threshold of hiding my own fantasies about Bella from her mind-reading ability was tenuous at best. With the pervert's additional barrage of sexy imagery the floodgate was in danger of breaking open. I knew then that school the next day was going to test all of my control, but there was some comfort in the fact that I would have to endure it for her just like Jasper would, bracing myself for the onslaught I knew was coming.

Just as we got closer to our target, Emmett abruptly asked, "Wait, you said 'Janie'? Bells, were you talking about Jane Volturi?" When she didn't answer, Emmett continued incredulously, "Jane Volturi, one of the most feared of all the Guard in Volterra, likes gossip magazines. Next you're going to tell me she has a thing for boy bands and Justin Bieber."

Bella shuffled her feet and stared at the ceiling without answering him in the slightest. Emmett's booming laughter started a contagious effect on the rest of us, which happened to be perfectly timed to make Jasper's movements seem completely unplanned and not the deliberate action we vampires knew it to be.

"Accidentally" colliding with the pervert, the empath carefully controlled the force of the impact so there was no need to call an ambulance for the inexplicably injured human. Flawlessly, Jasper lifted the phone from the man's pocket before slipping it into his own. "Hey, I'm sorry, buddy. I wasn't watching where I was going," Jasper said in a friendly, unassuming tone.

Realizing Bella, the object of his perverted thoughts, was holding on to Jasper's other hand, the man looked at my tall blonde brother sheepishly before gazing back at Bella with longing clear across his face. "Yeah, no problem. It's easy to get distracted with chicks like your girlfriend around," the man replied with a greasy smile.

Jasper slowly turned his face from friendly to fearsome, scowling at the man like he was as pathetic as we already knew him to be. Emmett swiftly moved behind the pervy guy to make him feel even more intimidated before I stepped closer and replied bitingly to his statement. "We couldn't agree more, but you probably shouldn't stare at her like that. It's very rude. You're not purposely trying to upset my sister, are you?" My voice was hostile and accusatory, something the human instinctively registered as extremely dangerous as he stepped backwards to create some distance. Scrambling back in fear to the point he literally bounced off of Emmett's chest, the man shook his head vehemently in response to my question before running away as fast as he could, stumbling into the crowd to desperately gain some distance from us.

After he was out of view we all laughed at his expense, trying to show Bella she had our full support no matter the issue. She hugged and thanked each of us before returning to Jasper, who I couldn't help but notice looked relieved when she clutched his hand again. Following the satisfying conclusion to our pre-show entertainment, we all walked into the movie theater to enjoy the human watching main event, knowing Bella felt better since we would all do everything we could to make her happy and protect her as a permanent part of our family.

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. Let me know if you have a question. I'd be happy to answer. :)

And a special thanks to all those who have reviewed! You have made me smile like a mad fool!


	8. TitaniumCoated Marshmallow Chicks

A/N: This is an extra-long chapter as a way to thank you all for the support I've received for this story thus far. Unfortunately I will be away for a few days and I thought a lengthy update might make up for it somehow. I also have a chapter of "Spontaneous Combustion" posting later tonight or tomorrow and one more of my True Blood/Twilight crossover story, "Venom, Fangs, and Fairies" up tomorrow. That will likely be all until Monday unless I can sneak away to find some WiFi access without anyone noticing.

This chapter starts off a little dark, but is nothing but fun at the end so please hang in there.

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 8 – Titanium-Coated Marshmallow Chicks*

Jasper's Point of View - Bella's First Day at Forks High

The Cullens always took center-stage in public. Our generally poised demeanor, cultured mannerisms, and inhuman beauty were only a small part of our mystique. In a middle-class town like Forks our familial wealth made us look like aristocrats. With envy coming from so many factors seemingly in favor of the Cullen family, it was no wonder we were ostracized to the point of almost complete social exclusion. That was until Bella's first day at school, of course.

Just like at the movie theater, the normal social decorum which existed between our family and the rest of the school had become completely altered by her presence. For some inexplicable reason we weren't sure of yet, Bella was far more approachable than the rest of our family members. It went far beyond some instinctual knowledge that unlike the rest of us she had no desire to make a meal out of them. Whatever the cause, the humans were undeniably drawn to her and it was creating a huge problem for me.

Carlisle had requested that Bella be placed in all of my classes, wanting her to feel as comfortable as possible in her new environment. The school administration would never have denied the notoriously charming doctor and had happily agreed. While I was initially excited to have Bella by my side all day, providing a consummate source of rejuvenating peace every time I looked at her, with so many petty, jealous, hormonal teens ogling her I was finding it difficult to stay calm.

By our third class Bella had been asked out twelve times - twice by the same boy. While she was very careful to control her words and behavior towards me, every time a lusty teen would ask her out I could tell she was being influenced by my barely restrained anger. I didn't like it, and vicariously neither did she.

By the end of our last class before lunch Bella looked like she wanted to climb into my lap and kiss me in front of everyone just so they would leave her – and by extension me – alone. The emotional burden was simply wearing me out, as the sycophantic pull and oppressive push of everyone else upon me was more severe than the typical drain I experienced in crowds.

Adding to that equation my need to remain in complete control around Bella, for her sake and everyone else's, I was having a tough day all around. The empathy we shared could quickly become dangerous if either of us were to start spiraling, dragging the other along as the emotions compounded and recycled back. A vortex of frenzied mania could result, much like the way we fed off each other's lust that day we met in the woods. The potential for disaster created by these angsty teens magnified the need to determine the cause of their brazen behavior towards her. I wasn't sure how much longer I could last with things as they were.

After our experience with Mike Newton and the creep from the movies, Bella admitted she was uncomfortable being the center of attention even in human company. She spoke demurely, half-serious due to the intense scrutiny of the humans during second period, "What excuse could we give everyone if I was to fall into your arms right now? Perhaps anemia? Low blood sugar maybe?" She waggled her eyebrows at me, using a little vampire humor to lighten her obvious discomfort. While her idea was very appealing to me that position would likely have aroused more than just a few awkwardly long glances, so we begrudgingly kept our distance.

Knowing the depth of my feelings for her already, I could think of only one way to help Bella feel like she always had a part of me with her even when we were apart. Although I knew it should have given me pause considering the significance that specific token held for me, I wasn't truly surprised by how easily I decided to give _her_ something I treasured so dearly. As cherished as this item was, I had avoided looking at it for decades for a reason - out of sight out of mind. It wasn't until I met the mysterious woman who had brought new life to my existence that I felt the need to confront my old one.

Finally feeling like it found its rightful home in Bella the same way I had, without reservation I gave her one of the only mementos I had managed to hang on to from my human life: a gold filigree locket bejeweled with a nickel-sized emerald stone in the center. I had used almost all of my money purchasing it during the war. Excited to return to my family in Houston for a short furlough just after the Galveston campaign, the locket was meant to be a purposely extravagant gift for all of my little sister's birthdays that I had missed while serving the cause. Fate obviously had other plans. Three days later I happened upon Maria and her sisters, never again finding my way home.

Somehow - quite miraculously, actually - I had retained the necklace throughout many turbulent years with numerous opportunities to lose it. Between fighting in vicious battles, training volatile newborns, and hurriedly evacuating areas when the situation became too precarious, it was through Maria's greedy designs that I almost lost my precious keepsake for good.

My sire had coveted my sister's necklace so badly that it became the main point of contention which initially drove a wedge between us. She obsessed over it, longed for it in a way that made me rethink the sincerity of her affections entirely. The issues surrounding that necklace created a turning point in my existence that I was grateful for, the beginning of the end of my time in the Southern Wars.

Clutching it in my hand the previous night after I retrieved it from the lock box I had kept it hidden in since joining the Cullens, so many tactile memories came rushing back. I couldn't help but trace the complex lines with my thumb, finding a haunting familiarity in the gesture as I recalled the morbid fascination I once felt in performing the ritual. The singular reason I would ever remove the locket during my time in the South was to cleanse the crimson blood from in between the intricately woven gold, eliminating any evidence the stains of my savagery had made on the only innocent thing I had left in my life.

I clung to it with vigor through the years, wearing it regardless of the femininity of the piece. Once again I held it up to the light, feeling the delicate weight in my hand, and just like that the burden of all that I had done to protect that last human part of me returned with a mighty vengeance which left me in a cold sweat. Of course the nervous sensation was completely in my head, a leftover physiological connection in my brain that signaled the agonizing duress I was experiencing. And as much as I wanted to stop the inevitable torrent of horrid memories from drowning my mind in despair, I knew that I had about as much control over preventing that horror as I ever had when Maria was involved.

With a sickening shiver from the futility, I fruitlessly attempted to fight off the recollection as best I could. Knowing the endeavor was pointless from the onset, within moments the memories became too impossible to combat, bringing me back in mind and spirit to that horrible era of my life as if I had never left. The hollow feeling in my heart had returned fully, gripping me completely again as every nerve-ending in my body recalled my sire's maliciousness and spite.

I was instantly sickened by countless hate-filled memories all ending the same way, Maria's ice-cold fingers tapping menacingly on the emerald stone of my empty locket. Clicking her nails against it as she made her next calculated move to punish me, she would constantly toy with that pendent when she was displeased with me, swatting at it like a cat batting at a mouse just to remind it that it was about to be devoured. The contrast of her frustratingly gentle touch as she would dance her razor-sharp nails down my chest never failed to torment me, teasing me with the anticipation of her potential aggression, the strike which would inevitably come. Her every move was taunting, always predatory, always cruel.

She relished in the knowledge of what that treatment did to me, designed it accordingly just to manipulate and mold me to her whim. She wanted the necklace as a token of my eternal adoration for her, knowing it was one of the only things that held any sentimental value for me. She hated what it represented, the last piece of the "human me" she wanted to possess and destroy like she had the rest of me. The fact that I refused to bestow it upon her freely made her already ardent desire even more ravenous.

Even though at the time I was almost completely deluded in my devotion to her, I knew Maria wished for me to present her with the locket by choice rather than by force of her command. On some level I must have known the relationship with that demented witch was not right. No matter what game she played or technique of coercion she employed, I was determined that what should have been my little sister's locket would never hang from the neck of the woman who ended my human life.

It was for that reason Maria would punish me whenever the mood struck her, when her envy became too great as both my lover and my leader. She would remove my ability to get away, either using her lieutenants to hold me down or subduing me for hours at a time by removing various limbs. Abusing my gift, she would use me to enhance the experience for everyone else in her army, knowing blood and lust were very motivating factors for her minions. The orgies of sex and violence I had impotently witnessed were almost too much to bear as an empath unable to participate, cyclically feeding the raging emotions back to the crowd over and over until it became too much for even a vampire to handle.

Enduring the wants and desires of twenty vampires gorging on temptation, partaking on sin in every way, it wasn't difficult to remember the moans filling the air of our camp. It was even harder to forget the screams. It was vampiric Valhalla and all done as a carefully constructed way to discipline my consistent failure to exalt Maria on the pedestal she believed she deserved.

As I stood there in my study in Forks, Washington far removed in time and space from the source of my former misery, my hands had begun shaking. Trembling while holding the locket which meant more to me than I ever realized, I was desperate to stop reliving those nightmares. Shirking off the debauchery I had seen by concentrating on the woman who I hoped would give me new visions with which to associate something I had protected for so long, the one thing that had kept me from losing myself entirely, I couldn't help but remember the day I tucked it away in that lock box in the first place.

That was the day I realized Maria's most cruel torture came years after I had finally created my new life, the one where my conscience recognized killing indiscriminately was wrong. It was then that her sadism truly took hold of me, as my flawless vampire memory forced me to recall in brutally vivid detail the eyes of all those she tortured in front of me as punishment. All in an effort to get what she considered a simple trinket, nothing more than a symbol of my total submission to her, I had hidden the locket away in an attempt to forget. It was the guilt which hurt the most, though not for what I did. It was the knowledge that if she had only allowed it I would have gleefully eviscerated every last one of those humans myself. Even after escaping she was still torturing me, showing me the monster I had become despite what the locket I refused to give her represented – my lost humanity.

With a nudge of her elbow, Bella knocked my arm on our adjoined desk table, breaking my concentration with those horrifying memories. Unlike Edward's use of the same ability, Bella tried not to impede my thought process with judgments and commentary. She understood that sometimes thoughts needed to play themselves out, no matter how horrible the preoccupation or the morose subject matter.

Although I knew she had not read my mind, as she had needlessly promised to give me mental privacy if she could help it, my emotions had been at war only moments before, possibly frightening her by the sheer volume of them. With an innocent caress against the locket resting upon the gentle slope at the top of her breasts, a gesture to soothe herself more than anything else, Bella's kind smile was all I needed to confirm the reason I gave her that part of me in the first place.

I had never even considered giving it to Alice, knowing that she wouldn't have recognized the value that small piece of jewelry held for me. It was well-made, but not extravagant by any means. Alice preferred designers and newness, having no appreciation whatsoever for antiquity. It would have made a pointless gift for my former wife. Just the thought of her casting aside something so important to me, something I knew she would have done, made me cringe at all of the lost time I had spent with that superficial woman.

However, with absolutely no hesitation at all, I gave it to Bella after hunting the night before. She seemed to fall in love with it the moment the emerald green of the center stone reflected the moonlight; her emotions like pure bliss to me, a wave of affection and acceptance that left me fighting the urge to kiss her fiercely. I didn't think the moment could get any better until she explained that it wasn't just a beautiful antique, it was precious because it was from me. Instantly I knew she had been the locket's rightful owner all along, it just took a long while for me to find her.

I felt overwhelmed by that revelation - transcended even. There were so many strong emotions swirling around between us in that moment that it was hard to believe we had only just met a few days before. Everything seemed too perfect with just the two of us standing on "our spot" by the edge of the river that I almost professed all of my feelings for her right then and there. I stopped myself, afraid of pushing her into something serious before she got the chance to know me better - scars and all. But I was determined now, and I had never failed at anything I had applied myself to. If she would have me, I knew Bella would be no exception as long as I was patient with her. She was worth the wait.

Thankfully Bella saved us both from the tense moment with another one of her surprising special requests.

"What would you say if we made things official?" she asked, making me think she had read my devotion to her in my mind. When I hesitated, she laughed, seemingly aware of where my mind went. "Would you put this on me?" she asked, knowing we were both cognizant of the meaning of a "Master" presenting their sub with a "collar", even of the ornate variety. I readily accepted her offer, laying the deceptively delicate charm on her neck before clasping it with a complete sense of satisfaction surrounding both of us. We both knew that it was a way to stake my claim on her, and it greatly calmed the tumult that had been growing in both of us.

Feeling the need to make it even more significant, more personal simply because she lacked the backstory behind the piece, Bella insisted on cutting a small lock of my hair to put inside the locket. I had refused at first, insisting I didn't need a haircut, though that wasn't the complete truth in the reason I first denied her. Decisively ending the debate, Bella said she would cut a lock of her own hair and interweave them so we would be even. That way, she had said, I wouldn't have anything left to complain about.

I was fairly certain that despite the mind-reading ability which she tried not to infringe upon as much as possible, Bella didn't seem to realize I wasn't actually bothered about the hair itself. I just desperately wanted to tell her no because I never wanted her to have a reason to stop touching me. While I was perfectly content to continue with our level of affection without any concern for our surroundings or company, in the interest of avoiding further intrigue into our unconventional relationship developing within our infamous family, it was better to maintain some distance in public - for now.

Privately was a different matter entirely. Most of the time I was finding it increasingly difficult to maintain a respectable position beside her instead of pulling Bella back on top of me where I desperately longed to see her again. Even though we had agreed to move slowly after our heated initial encounter in the woods, the compulsion I felt towards her was making it almost painful to resist her innocent temptations. I was struggling, and despite never wanting to see her troubled, I found a twisted sort of pleasure every time I sensed her frustrated desire for me testing her restraint as well.

Despite not having spoken to Alice directly about the divorce, our marriage was definitely over now that everything was out in the open with the family. There was really nothing holding me back from pursuing Bella besides a complicated sense of morality and a deep fear of rushing her into something before she was ready, especially after all the trauma she had experienced recently.

Nevertheless, I was left wondering when I would get another chance to feel the jolt of electricity that flowed in a seemingly endless supply from her fingertips every time we touched. To maintain our façade in front of the high school kids whenever she wanted to reach out for me in some way, or simply felt the need to hold my hand to quell her nerves, she reached for the necklace I gave her instead. It became a very compelling metaphoric substitution in my mind, leaving me fantasizing about her hands on me instead of it.

She left me transfixed by her sensual movements. They were all so subtle and enthralling that I spent almost every moment of our morning classes staring at her while she caressed it. The way the intricate gold offset her pale skin would have been enough to captivate me without the added effect of her skilled little fingers playing with it so seductively. She would slide it from one side of the chain to the other and back again before rubbing it against her lips and dragging the cold metal along the alabaster skin of her throat.

She was making me feel an insatiable need to trace the locket's journey with my tongue. Every tiny movement was so indescribably powerful that I shivered from the thoughts of doing that to her, already imagining her tingling touch as she encouraged me. She smirked at me knowingly, purposely licking her lips to tease me more after clearly catching the tenor of my thoughts, probably because of my stirring emotional response to her unbelievably sexy actions.

We were so similar in regard to our overtly sexual playfulness that it made our flirtatious games a little too erotically charged. They were, however, very exciting and enjoyable nonetheless, a definitely more engaging way to pass the day. We seemed to anticipate each other effortlessly, the fluidity of that give and take suggesting a level of compatibility I had never achieved with another in my entire existence. Bella herself had made a good point the night before in regards to how well we fit together, filling the voids in each other effortlessly.

At the time we had been reviewing proper high school etiquette when I admitted that although I didn't mind it, she couldn't call me "Master" in front of anyone other than the family. It created too many questions for the fickle-minded human public. Although I made sure Bella knew she was more than welcome to use it when we were alone whether she was using her powers or not. She laughed at that, the heated look in her eyes betraying the seductress behind the sweet giggles.

As much as I enjoyed that particular moniker coming from Bella, I was worried about her continued use of the term if we were to become closer. There were times when it was helpful and other times in which a dominant person simply required it to justify rank and power over their subordinate. I didn't want her to have to wonder about which one was true with me. That was not the kind of relationship I ultimately aimed to have with Bella, but I knew the adjustments would take time. Eventually she would learn how to separate the two with ease; a lesson I was hoping would come about by differentiating the places and situations to change the title she used for me.

I was mostly drawing on my own memories to dictate my plan. Truth be told, I had never wanted to apply the title of "Mistress" to Maria. I had only used it as a sort of defense mechanism at first. Thinking about it now, being so far removed from that situation with my former Mistress, it might have been because of my natural affinity for domination and control combined with the unnaturalness of my relationship with my sire that created the distaste in that word coming out of my mouth in deference to another, especially her.

It was different with me and Bella, however. I would readily admit that I enjoyed being dominant over her, especially because of how powerful she was. I felt a great sense of joy when Bella revealed that she knew I would never abuse my control over her, but she loved the feeling of submitting to me. Her trust meant the world to my self-confidence.

During that discussion she had referenced the duality we saw in each other, as well as the way those components interacted together. I found it difficult once again for me not to kiss her, but the revelation that we both withdrew into another personality in times of stress was not something I could ponder without her being able to read my specific thoughts on the subject before I got a chance to vocalize them like a man.

I became the Major when I needed to draw upon that dominating part of my personality, and she fell back into submission with her "Kitten" persona. In that state of mind she could better follow the orders she was given and be at the complete control of her Master. We fit together seamlessly and that made things even more difficult because I already knew I would love the opportunity to be with Bella romantically, something that would require adjusting ourselves to be on more even footing. Although I knew it would be an awkward situation for everyone else for quite a while, I really didn't care because I had every intention of starting a relationship with Bella eventually.

Edward seemed to have a weird crush on Bella, riding the borderline between sweet and stalker-like. His behavior towards her was strange – ambivalent even. I attributed that to the fact that he had never shown an interest in any female before. While he seemed genuinely intrigued by Bella, I was bothered to keep detecting an underlying sense of disgust hidden just beneath the surface of Edward's infatuation. His feelings left me utterly confused at what was going on in my self-loathing brother's mind, especially since I kept catching him covertly following us around like he was trying to discover something mysterious about Bella that was the cause of his captured interest. Treating a woman like an untouchable science experiment was no way to win her over, not that I would have encouraged that behavior from him towards her either.

Alice was going to be another issue altogether. After Bella's first night with the family I had called Alice to tell her I knew she had filed for the divorce and that I couldn't understand why she hadn't given me the papers yet. I needed to let her know I took care of it, having planned to sign them and send them off first thing the next morning. The self-serving seer didn't even have the courtesy to pick up her phone to speak to me, choosing to cowardly text back a minute later instead.

Even now I was angry as I recalled the message: _'Jazzy, don't feel guilty for having a little fun since we all know you have no control over your baser urges. When you finally realize I am the only one who will put up with you, you'll just have to spend your eternity making it up to me for screwing __**that**__ girl. I'm thinking of having you take me on a shopping trip to Milan! Sounds simply perfect, right? =) After all, we both know you'll never find someone better for you than me. In fact, I'm absolutely 100% sure of it, and it is about time you made your peace with that. Enjoy yourself for now, Jazzy. You'll have a lot of work to do to when I get back.'_

For almost ten minutes, I was rendered completely frozen in confusion over Alice's strange statement. There was something odd in her wording which disturbed me, going well beyond the obvious derision in her insulting message. Aside from the fact that her psychic vision was seriously impaired based on some of her terribly misguided comments, she shouldn't have spoken to anyone - let alone me - like that.

After reconciling my thoughts, I replied back, pushing the buttons so hard the phone nearly broke: _'I have no idea what you're getting at because you're the one who initiated our separation as soon as we moved to Forks. None of that matters though since I'm positive that with whatever happens in my life I won't be coming back to you no matter what. You have treated me like a burden for far too long, Alice, but for the sake of the family I hope we can still be friendly. I have nothing against you personally, but that clearly isn't something you have ever been able to say about me. _

As I pressed "send" I decided to tell her everything that had bothered me about her underhanded behavior, creating another message with a much more hostile tone. _Just so you know since your ability is clearly faulty, I already filled out those pre-signed divorce papers you had waiting to ambush me with. Surprised? I know you didn't think I knew about them. Psychic didn't see that coming, huh? I'm not sure what you've been playing at with stringing me along since you were never with me in the eternity-sense, but we're over now so you've got no ass-kissing coming your way from me. I seriously suggest you reconsider the way you speak to me from now on, Alice. There IS a line, and you really don't want to cross it. You can consider that a promise and a threat if you decide to test me on this.'_

Lost in thought about how things were going to be once my "twin" sister returned with my clearly demented ex, Emmett kicked the leg of the table Bella and I occupied in Biology to get our attention to move on to the next period. We shared a meaningful smile at being caught collectively daydreaming, and as happy as she looked lost in her musings I could feel her discomfort.

Thankfully, Bella projected her thoughts to me before I even needed to ask. _'I'm nervous about lunch. I may not have retained all my human memories, but something about lunchrooms really freaks me out and it has nothing to do with the prospect of eating human food.'_

"I'll always protect you, Darlin'," I whispered in her ear as we walked out of the room behind Emmett.

Once out the door, Bella fell in line between us, having been flanked at all times in the hallway by me and one of our brothers. We realized it was necessary in order to keep the other males of Forks High at arms-length from her. As soon as we arrived earlier in the day we had noticed an immediate difference in the populace's reaction to us, Bella specifically. The boys kept invading her personal space, trying to hug or touch her in some way only moments after being introduced.

Although we weren't sure why that was happening, we knew something about Bella's powers had caused the extremely bizarre reaction. While people always thought we were attractive, they usually avoided touching all of the Cullens even accidentally. The fact that people were still approaching Bella with either me, Emmett, or Edward nearby was peculiar to put it mildly.

As we made our way through the halls, we were subjected to the whispers about us as we went. It was difficult not to react to some of the more insane notions the teenagers came up with, spoken too softly for us to be able to hear without accounting for extraordinary abilities to make it possible. Apparently most people believed that Bella was some kind of mail-order child bought for Edward, the loneliest Cullen. While the family knew it to be true that Edward was lonely, contrary to popular belief that had more to do with choice and general angstiness on his part than anything else. The general consensus amongst our classmates was that Bella was purchased from the same orphanage which specialized in beautiful children where Dr. and Mrs. Cullen acquired the rest of us kids - just to make their brooding son smile.

In any case, lunch had finally arrived and Bella's sense of dread started to seem warranted after we met up with Edward outside the cafeteria. We entered together and the excruciatingly unique sound of quiet in a room full of typically chatterbox teens marked the novelty of the event, emphasizing the fact that there was little else to talk about besides us which they were reluctant to do in our presence.

With everyone watching us intently, Emmett in front of Bella and me and Edward next to her on either side, she couldn't help but project her thoughts to us to break up the tension we were all acutely aware of. _'Guys, I know what people have been saying about us, but I need you to ease up a bit. You have me surrounded like you're protecting the President or something. It might make people more suspicious.'_

Emmett looked over his shoulder and smiled at that, no doubt imagining himself with dark sunglasses, a head set, and a black suit. The message was clear, however, and the three of us all tried to take a breath and ease up on Bella-detail. It was actually terribly ironic that we were being so protective of the most powerful, deadly vampire in the world – shielding her from teenagers as if they were going to hurt her delicate spirit with their cruel words.

After making our lunchtime purchases to blend in to the crowd as much as we could with every eye on us, we led Bella to our usual table and sat down. Though completely unplanned, almost simultaneously the three of us looked up and glared at the room. Everyone that had been silently watching us as if in a trance had finally noticed their own rude behavior for once. Looking rightfully embarrassed, they quickly resumed their eating and socializing with only quick glances in our direction.

Another reason why Emmett and Bella could really have been brother and sister was that they both felt the need to break up nervous tension with unexpected commentary and quirky questions. It was something I truly appreciated because once negative emotions were able to take root in a group they began to fester. "So, what's your favorite rumor so far?" Emmett asked us with a silly grin.

Edward laughed as he pretended to sip his water. "Mine was that Bella won some kind of contest to be adopted by Carlisle and Esme."

Bella looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hmm, I wonder what they thought I would do for the talent competition: baton twirling or tap dancing?"

"I doubt they even considered that," I said matter-of-factly, shrugging my shoulders and looking directly at Bella to gauge her reaction to what I was going to say next. "They probably got stuck on the idea of you in a bikini for the swimsuit portion and lost the ability to think. Oh, I know… tap dancing in a bikini, now that's a talent that'd be sure to win," I said while waggling my eyebrows at her. Edward looked momentarily uncomfortable, and I grimaced because I could just tell he was filing that image away for later.

Ignoring the jealous pang I felt with the idea of Edward thinking of Bella that way, I offered the most salacious theory I had overheard during the course of the morning. "I enjoyed the creativity involved in the one about Carlisle and Esme training us as a crew of international jewel thieves. It sounded like the plot of a movie. Little do they know how easy it would be for us to do something like that with super speed and strength," I added thoughtfully, noticing with a bit of worry the growing look of anticipation on Emmett's face. It appeared he was having an incredibly difficult time containing a scandalous secret and was about to blow his top.

Not registering Em's excitement, Bella started humming the "Mission: Impossible" theme song and we all smiled at her. The fact that she knew so much about the world yet couldn't recall anything specific about her own family was still very odd at times. It was as if she suffered from very specific amnesia, something I hoped was only temporary because everyone deserved to know who they were in life, even if it was a life you had to leave behind.

As our laughter started to wane, Emmett finally combusted and eagerly blurted out his gossip. "Mine has to be that Bella killed Alice and Rosie so she could have the three of us all to herself." He let the words settle before he continued despite our collective shock. "Apparently even all three of us are not enough for Bella, the psychotic nympho, and Esme is going to get whacked next." He even made a throat slitting motion to highlight his point, grinning and giggling maniacally like a serial killer.

Bella gasped and covered her mouth while Edward and I stared at her to see if Emmett's comment might have been the breaking point in her already palpable case of nerves. Instead, Bella surprised us all once again by stifling her laughter behind her hand for a moment before smiling pleasantly as if nothing happened.

She then made a show of innocently biting into her apple even though we all knew she didn't actually remove a chunk despite her subsequent pretend chewing. I loved that she was paying attention during my "human" class, especially since she could only seem to daydream in her real ones. Not that I was much better though since I spent the entire morning thinking of her.

With a calm, even-toned voice, she sweetly addressed Emmett. "Brother Bear," she said, leaning in as if telling him a secret, "I've seen many pictures of Rosalie and experienced some of your thoughts about that gorgeous wife of yours firsthand. Knowing what I do, I certainly wouldn't have killed her if I was a psychotic nympho. Instead I would have chained her up naked in my dungeon to do wicked things to her since you three would surely need time to recuperate after everything I'd already done to you. There's just no way in hell I'd waste a fine-looking woman like that without getting some action first."

The menacing look we had given the lunch room earlier due to their rude staring had been so effective that the students were still too scared to look over at us even when Emmett erupted into raucous laughter. Even after he fell out of his chair, the humans tried their best not to turn their heads, as if seeing a giant rolling around on the floor was an everyday occurrence bordering on the mundane.

Not caring who saw or what they thought, Emmett got off the floor and picked Bella up right out of her seat. He kissed her loudly on the cheek and swung her around before effortlessly placing her back down in her chair. Speaking in a more boisterous tone than necessary, Emmett practically shouted, "Oh Belly Bear, that was the funniest damn thing I have ever heard. I'm going to call Rosie right now and tell her she better watch her fine ass around you."

Emmett pulled out his phone, barely able to contain his chuckling long enough to dial as he walked outside to speak to Rosalie. He was still visible through the windows of the cafeteria as he stood just beyond the windows. And though the kids were too scared to look at the Cullens' table they felt comfortable staring at Emmett since he was outside. Everyone watched as he animatedly explained something to who they could only assume was Rosalie since they couldn't hear his amused tone or overly descriptive words embellishing on what Bella had actually said. They could only bear witness to his body language and wonder what happened at the usually quiet Cullen table to cause such a commotion.

Speculating the source had to be our newest sibling, the awkward glances began again moments after Emmett had broken the spell that had been cast on the humans with his exit. They were each seeking another look at the girl who clearly affected our mysterious family in such a strange way.

My giant vampire brother abruptly came running back into the room, the center of everyone's attention due to his own antics. He hugged Bella again tightly from behind while she was still seated in her chair before he finally reclaimed his seat. Bella giggled at his silliness before resuming her conversation with us, seemingly unaware of the three young men who were all trying to work up the nerve to ask her out - one of them for the third time that day. It wasn't until she smirked that I knew she was aware of what they were planning, having come up with some sort of plan of her own.

Approaching cautiously, but with obvious determination, Mike Newton, Eric Yorkie, and Tyler Crowley all walked closer to the Cullen table at the exact same time. Not wanting to break her thought to give merit to the interruption she had been expecting, Bella kept speaking to us as if the humans were not staring at her from a few feet away.

As soon as they were in hearing range, Bella was mindful of the risk of exposure while answering another one of Emmett's limitless questions about Volturi gossip. "No, Emmy, Janie is not as scary as she seems. Well, I guess she can be, but mostly she just pretends like nothing bothers her so no one gets close enough to know the truth. Her hard shell is difficult to crack, but inside she's really sweet and fluffy - like a titanium coated marshmallow chick… Oh my god, she'll hate that so much… I'm going to text Felix right now. Hold on."

Bella pulled out her phone and fired off her text, giggling to herself the entire time while pretending not to notice the three increasingly nervous looking boys who already seemed like they had lost their will to see their endeavor through. A half-second later, her phone beeped with a reply which she read and then projected to all of us. _'Felix says he's going to wait until I come to visit so I can protect him before delivering a case of bright pink and yellow marshmallow bunnies to her room.'_

We all chuckled at her, trying hard not to give any indication of our silent conversation in the presence of the awkward bystanders who were already staring at us strangely. I had an easier time stifling my laughter than my brothers. I had realized on Bella's first evening with the family that every time she mentioned Felix I could feel myself getting irritable, inexplicably envious of him even though we'd never met. It was something in her voice, the way it lifted when she spoke of him that was bothering me most. I wanted to ask her more about him and their relationship, but I hadn't found the right opportunity or the best wording where I wouldn't come off like a jealous jerk.

Surprisingly Mike Newton was the one brave enough to finally explain the reason for their awkward intrusion at our table. "Hey, Bella, can we all talk to you…um, privately?"

"All of you? I'm sorry, Mike, but we've only just met and I'm not in the habit of running off with a group of boys I hardly know. That could be very dangerous for me, don't you think?" She paused and smiled at us while Emmett unsuccessfully bit his tongue to keep from laughing at the irony. She could overpower all three of them in less time than a human heartbeat, yet the vixen played the demure damsel with extraordinary skill. "Besides, I will just tell my brothers later anyway since we have no secrets in our family. I trust them all… _unequivocally_." We all smiled again at her purposely chosen word - "unequivocally". It was the same one Carlisle used on her first night.

Feeling like outsiders to our inside joke, Mike frowned. "Sure, yeah, alright…so, uh, here goes… we wondered if you were interested in going out with us… any of us… either individually or as a group. We all just want to get to know you outside of school." Mike glanced at me and Edward before giving Bella a look of yearning that made me cringe. As annoying as they were, this pathetic display was disgusting.

"Well, our sisters should be feeling well enough to get out of the house in the next few days, so maybe we could all go to the movies together or something," Bella said with a perfectly sweet inflection. I could feel her utter amusement because she was secretly enjoying their discomfort, knowing that they'd never agree to her suggestion. Since she could read their thoughts, Bella knew what was really behind their innocent expressions and I could tell she wanted to milk the situation for all it was worth without seeming too bitchy.

"Well, if your sisters wanted to join us… um, Rosalie and Alice… um, yeah, that would be pretty awesome too. We thought maybe your brothers might like a boys' night out… you know, like separately," Tyler stammered.

Bella was clearly upset by their dismissal of us, even if it was only out of their fascination with her. I suddenly felt the mischievous vibe coming from her again just like when we were at Newton's store and she made that stripper pole reference that nearly killed me for a second time. I felt like kicking back with my feet up to thoroughly enjoy whatever retaliation she had just whipped up in that devious mind of hers.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you all then, but I don't like to do _anything_ without at least one of my brothers to keep me _entertained_," Bella said seductively. Ever the tactician, I realized she was trying to bait them into insulting either her or us again so she could reject them outright, this time with cause. That would work as a calculated manipulation to spread the word around the school that she was not interested without giving any real details away. She was so very clever.

"You can't go _anywhere_ without a chaperone?" Eric asked out of actual curiosity. At first I was slightly angry because I thought he was mocking her, his tone coming off as slightly sarcastic. In actuality, he appeared as if he was honestly trying to envision his life with a constant babysitter. I could have bet he was thinking about how severely having a watchful eye on him like that would hinder his masturbation time since I'd frequently seen him sneaking into the locker room early to have a party-for-one following co-ed volleyball in gym class.

Mike chuckled with a dumb expression on his face. "Yeah, you can't mean all the time. I mean you must shower separately at least?" Whether purposeful or accidental, Bella and Edward's eyes both instantly shifted to mine, and I couldn't help but smile while recalling what she must be thinking of - even if it was under less than sexy circumstances.

After an altercation with Edward, Bella wasn't thinking about anything other than finding me and charged into the shower completely oblivious to my nakedness for so long that I was starting to get self-conscious. Once she recognized where we were and that I was undressed, she actually snuggled up to me tighter which put me in a very precarious position. Though the situation was somber and Bella was embarrassed, her palpable lust had me extremely pleased overall.

"Are you serious? You shower together too?" Mike practically shouted to the amazement of the wide-eyed lunchroom eavesdropping as best as they could.

Purposely speaking loudly to extinguish the scandal before it gained steam, Bella responded quickly. "Oh, Mike, I'm sorry, you must have misunderstood. I don't want to go anywhere without them because they are far too much fun. You have a really dirty mind, Mike. I'm not sure going out alone with you would be a safe situation for me."

Emmett belted out another round of uproarious laughter and Edward smirked as a red-faced Mike turned away mumbling to Tyler. "I don't understand why they keep laughing when she says stuff like that."

Edward's posture was rigid, probably thinking of the ways to tell Carlisle about all of the notoriety the Cullens were receiving as a result of the attention Bella was getting. "Don't worry, Edward. I will make sure to play innocent and apologize to Mike if _I_ embarrassed _him_ next time I see him. This way he'll feel all superior and vindicated, but not want to risk asking me out again just in case. Besides, it's not like there was no truth in it."

"Wait just a second, what don't I know? Who is taking tandem showers that shouldn't be? Please tell me the mind-reader had a bubble bath with the empath, Belly Bear, because it better not have been with you?" Emmett pleaded, giving me and Edward a stern, disapproving older brother look.

"Relax, Emmett," I explained with a lazy grin. "Bella did get in the shower with me, but it wasn't quite like it seems since she was fully clothed. Nothing happened, brother, so get off the Mike Newton bandwagon please."

"Yeah, she was clothed and maybe nothing happened, but if you were naked then she must have at least gotten a glance at the not-so-little Major. I just don't like the idea of that," Emmett said hastily, sounding overly-protective.

Bella and Edward looked mortified, and though I thought I should be too, it was difficult since I knew Bella couldn't un-hear Emmett's declaration about my substantial equipment. It took all my concentration not to smile or smirk at her since she seemed so uncomfortable even though I could have sworn I saw her sneak a peek for herself that night in the shower.

Unfortunately with the entirety of my concentration on my facial expression, I left my gift a little vulnerable and accidentally sent off a wave of lust to Bella. She raised an eyebrow in return and I knew if we were human, we both would have been blushing terribly.

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. Let me know if you have a question. I'd be happy to answer. :)

Just so you know, the beginning of this chapter has always felt a bit awkward to me. I have been obsessing over it, re-writing it many times. In the end Jasper needed that dark moment of reflection so everyone would understand where he's coming from before things progress with Bella. Hope it wasn't too much.

And a special thanks to all those who have reviewed! You have made me smile like a mad fool!

Next time: All I'm saying is Gym Class Heroes (and no, I don't mean the band)


	9. Gym Class Hero

A/N: Sorry about the long wait, but my vacation was unexpectedly extended. It was great fun but I have been suffering from severe computer withdrawal. To make up for the wait I have this extra-long chapter for you all and will hopefully have time to post again tomorrow or the next day. Bella has way too much fun in this chapter. I hope you like it!

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 9 – Gym Class Hero*

Jasper's Point of View – Bella's First Day (cont'd.)

"Now seems like a good time to mention that I contacted Carlisle and Eleazar about what's been happening all morning with Bella and these human boys," Edward said excitedly to the group, happy to take some attention away from the previous topic of conversation. "Bella, they both think you are exuding the essence of a succubus. You must have picked up the power in Denali when you girls all went out dancing. Now it seems likely that you are channeling their allure accidentally."

"See, I knew Dad shouldn't have let you go out unsupervised with our man-crazy cousins," Emmett exclaimed, vindicated after making his initial objections clear the night we all spoke to Carlisle over the phone before Bella's arrival.

"Luckily since the girls didn't use it on any vampires in front of you, Bella, Eleazar believes that you are only putting out the succubus lure for the human boys," Edward stated. "If it was a larger concentration, potent enough to attract a supernatural creature, then you would have had to go back there and train with it for a while." While I didn't mention it outright, I would most assuredly go along to Alaska if that was the case, unwilling to separate from her for such an extended period.

"At least that explains it then. I didn't think I would be the center of all this attention without some kind of magical mojo being responsible," Bella said with relief in her voice but a twinge of rejection in her heart. It was the same underlying notion of inferiority she always defaulted to when her abilities highlighted how distinctly unique she was.

With a sigh, I corrected her misgivings. "Darlin', these kids would have reacted the same way without that extra attraction. The difference is that they would have kept it to themselves and not confronted you about it directly. Their desire to be near you comes from how wonderful and beautiful you are. Their yearning to seek you out as if you want them just as much as they want you comes from the pull of the succubus. Besides, good news is that now that you know maybe you'll be able to stop."

"I can try," she replied quickly, shaking off the spirit-dampening thoughts which were clouding her judgment. "Plus that way you guys won't feel the need to keep plotting the 'accidental' deaths of so many of these teenagers," Bella said with a laugh, glancing at Emmett who wore a proud, guilty smirk.

As lunch time began dwindling down I noticed Bella nervously peeking at the clock on the wall. Her anxious emotions were increasing with each tick of the second hand moving on the dial. After she looked at it for the fifth time, alarm setting in, I sent her a wave of curiosity and she slyly projected her thoughts back to me without alerting the others. _'I'm sorry for being so clingy, but I just realized that it's almost time for gym and I panicked a little. Since I came to Forks you and I haven't been separated for more than a few minutes and with nothing more than a wooden door between us. I'm just anxious, I guess.'_

I smiled back at her and grabbed her hand underneath the table so we didn't draw any extra attention to ourselves from the gawking teens. Using the very interesting bond only two empaths could share, I sent her as much calm as I could. The relaxing emotional cocktail effortlessly bounced back to me, starting the cycle over again. When we discovered that trick a few days before, I felt such a profound state of relaxation that I could have sworn I dozed off for a moment. It was a kind of restful peace, rejuvenating and novel as it was something I hadn't experienced since the night before I was turned.

"You two look like you're about to start napping or something. Can I get in on that sometime?" Emmett asked us excitedly, breaking our concentration and the meditative state we entered.

I looked at Bella with curiosity, though I could already feel her interest in hosting this pseudo-slumber party. "What do you think, Kitten? Want to be Emmett's personal sleeping pills later?"

"Sounds like a fun experiment. Edward, you want to play too? We don't know exactly what we're doing, but it wouldn't hurt to have a second opinion at our sleep clinic," Bella asked, sensing Edward's need for inclusion. With the exception of his close relationship with Carlisle and Alice, Edward had always kept his distance before Bella came to the family. Emmett and I had a bad habit of not even thinking to ask him to join us anymore. In our defense, after decades of rejection from the mind-reader it seemed pointless to make the effort.

"I will agree to that as long as you agree to take a walk with me later so I can show you this beautiful meadow I found the other day. There are wildflowers all over and I thought you might enjoy picking some for Esme," he replied a little too quickly for my liking. It was as if he had been saving that invitation for just the right opportunity. Edward could be pretty sly when he applied himself, but I didn't think he would try to sneak anything more than a friendly walk out of Bella. If he did do anything untoward, I decided right then that a fitting punishment would be to break off and hide each of his prissy little fingers. Plus that way he wouldn't be able to play any more of his angsty, depressing piano music for a while.

Putting aside my thoughts on orchestrating Edward's morbid treasure hunt, Bella distracted me, flipping her hair and wafting her intoxicating aroma in the air. "Okay, Edward. That probably is a good idea anyway. It makes me crazy uncomfortable, but I know I need to practice detaching myself from the Major's hip so he can have some of his privacy back. Plus that sounds like a really nice thought about Esme. I just wish there was something I could do for Carlisle to show my appreciation too."

"I'm sure you'll think of something, Sugar," I said before Edward threw in another suggestion which meant me spending more time apart from Bella. "Now, let's get to gym and do some extremely pointless cardio, shall we?" I said with a smile.

With Bella considering several methods of expressing her gratitude to our father-figure, we quietly cleaned up our "lunches" and left the room together in a slightly looser formation than when we had entered. As the grip Bella had on my hand began to tighten as we neared the locker rooms with Emmett and Edward in tow, I leaned in close, inhaling her fragrance to calm myself before whispering my support in her ear. "Don't worry. It will only be for a few minutes, Darlin'. Besides, I won't be far. You can project and read my mind if you want to talk."

I dropped her hand a moment later even though it was grating on my own nerves to do so. I quickly turned and left without waiting for her response, walking hastily through the locker room doors to avoid looking back. I was certain the power Bella's eyes held over me would make me look like a lovesick fool if given the chance. It wasn't difficult to admit that I didn't want to be apart from her either.

Offering Bella comfort over her traumatic experiences and receiving support from her over my divorce from Alice had quickly cemented the kind of symbiotic relationship that rivaled any successful pairing. She met me halfway with everything and it was so effortless and freeing being together that the absence of her by my side left me feeling extremely awkward. It was like I was suddenly missing half of myself, a part which I had only just discovered. I could only imagine how Bella had been feeling since she had recognized the pain that our temporary separation would cause much earlier in the day.

Just thinking about Bella seemed to ignite a burning desire to seek her out. She'd only been away from me for roughly three minutes and I was already having trouble containing myself. I knew I needed to tell her exactly how I felt, my self-imposed waiting period be damned. The restraint it was taking to hold back was getting unbearable for me, and at that precise moment I wanted Bella back in my sight so badly that breaking down the door to claim her where she stood started to sound reasonable. That notion gave me enough warning to correct the dangerous direction my thoughts were heading, especially since I already felt my feet take a subconscious step in her direction.

Concentrating on her seemed to be a suitable alternative for now, so I focused on sifting through the empathic minefield of emotions coming from the human females next door until I discovered Bella's familiar tenor. I had never before met someone, human or vampire, who could simultaneously feel so many emotions as strongly as Bella. It was impressive, and a bit disconcerting.

I assumed it would have been more difficult to lock on to an individual person like that no matter their emotional signature, though I had never cared enough to try before. It had only taken a minute to isolate Bella's unique emotional mixture, however. Her spirit was singing out to me through the dregs of the world around us as powerfully as if we had been touching, like I was attuned to her instinctively now.

Despite my pride over using my gift in a new way, what I found coming from Bella disturbed me greatly. Her emotions told me something I loathed to experience coming from anyone, especially her - worthlessness and shame. Those were the emotions of abuse, something that I was unfortunate enough to have firsthand knowledge of. Even though I fought hard to overcome those feelings for myself, I let her emotions wash over me so I could identify with her more deeply.

Just as I had accepted the despondent disposition she would be in the next time I saw her, her emotions switched quickly to jealousy and contempt before moving on to lust, mischief, and finally to ecstasy. I may not have known what was happening in the girls' locker room at that exact moment, but I knew it was something very interesting to have affected Bella in such a way.

Stuck in what must have been a frozen pose while I searched my brain for an explanation to the sudden emotional storm from my favorite girl, I noticed Emmett looking at me with a bemused expression. "Dude, what's up? You look all perplexed or constipated or something."

I scoffed, thinking about the absurdity in Emmett's very human appraisal of my moment of confusion. "It's not me, Em. I think something's up with Bella."

"How the hell could you possibly know that, bro?" he asked, stepping closer to me as we all started to undress. This was our routine, our way of avoiding answering questions which would only make us stand out more in front of the humans. Edward and Emmett would block me from view whenever these situations came up. After years spent around inquisitive teenagers, it was the easiest thing to do.

Answering in a tone only for a vampire's ears, I said, "I'm not sure, but I can feel her as if she's standing right next to me. A moment ago she was feeling shame. Then came jealousy and some extreme distaste over something. After that there was a ridiculous amount of lust, and finally mischief and… ecstasy."

"Jeez, maybe Bella really is a psychotic nympho," Em suggested with a well-placed eyebrow waggle. "Hey, I know what could have happened," he said somewhat dreamy-eyed, "Maybe she got embarrassed about her outfit when she saw one she liked better. When she decided she hated her own so much that she wasn't going to wear it out of the locker room she ripped the other girl's outfit right off of her too, except then she got excited about what she saw and they started making out. That could happen, right? I know girls always say things like that don't go down in the locker room or at slumber parties, but they don't make pornos that way for nothing," Emmett rambled.

Edward's eyes were bugging out as he nervously turned away from us. I could already sense the lust coming off of him from Emmett's wishful thinking. I only wished that I hadn't let the imagery play out in my own head as Emmett was talking too. I just couldn't help myself and now the need to see Bella had me extremely agitated.

Fully dressed in my standard gym attire, I sat down on the bench and tried to calm down before I ran over there to investigate the peculiar happenings of the Forks High ladies' locker room. Concentrating on Bella specifically again, I purposely projected my thoughts to get to the bottom of this mystery. _'Darlin', what's going on? For some reason I can pick out your emotions from here and you have some pretty interesting ones happening right now. Everything okay?' _

'_I'll tell you later, Major. I promise. Oh and that's amazing that you can feel me from so far away. I didn't realize your gift was so strong it could work long range and with so much interference like that.'_

'_Honestly, me neither. I've never used it like this before.'_

'_Glad I could be your first, Major.'_ I smiled at that, loving the fact that she was reminiscing over our flirtatious first encounter in the woods just as much as I had been over the last few days.

'_Don't tease me like that right now, Kitten, or I might be tempted to come over there and finish what we started down by the river the day we met.'_

'_I believe I gave you an open-ended invitation, Major.'_ I snickered at her response. I took a moment to consider whether she might have been testing my restraint after all.

'_Yeah, and I told you to just name the time and place. Hell, I'd clear my calendar for eternity just to make sure I was readily available and at your beck and call whenever you wanted me, Kitten.'_

'_Well, I was hoping you might want to take me up on that offer in the __**very**__ near future, Master.' _

I wasn't sure how to respond to her proposition because all thoughts had already left my head to make room for the barrage of erotic scenes playing in my mind of the two of us together. I was now fairly confident in the notion that waiting was indeed over-rated.

Unaware of the risk of suffering some bodily injury, Emmett interrupted my contemplation of the particulars involving my first time with Bella with a rough shove to my shoulder to get my attention. Emmett grumbled, "Dude, I don't know if you know this, but you are projecting a serious lust-cloud in here. While I am content with my manhood and have no problem with all these guys looking at Little Emmett, I think the odd looks these normally hetero humans are giving each other might start a brawl… or possibly an orgy if you don't quit it."

"It's not his fault, Emmett," Edward said with a look of defeat. He sighed and glumly continued, "Bella just asked him to sleep with her." I looked at him quizzically and he promptly explained, "At the moment I can hear your thoughts, Jasper, but only yours. I inferred based on what you were thinking."

Emmett slapped my shoulder again, clearly testing the limits of my patience before I would hit him back. "Well, congrats dude, but be nice to her or it's your sparkly ass. Speaking of asses, I'm getting mine out of here before someone slips me their number. Seriously, Jazz, project much?" Emmett said while shutting his locker and heading out to warm-up, Edward plodding away behind him.

'_Major, are you still with me?' _Bella's voice had overlaid on top of my own thoughts, briefly making me wonder if she could hear my internal dialog from the other room. I hoped not considering the colorful daydream I had just been entertaining. I wasn't embarrassed, just nervous she would think I was being presumptuous even though the little vixen instigated the fantasy.

'_Sorry, Kitten, I'm still here. I think maybe I just had the vampire equivalent of an aneurism though. We need to talk about this later in private because apparently I'm projecting some major lust in here. Now some of the boys are glancing at each other in very unexpected, very amorous ways. I'll see you in a minute. I'm anxiously waiting for you to come for me.' _

'_Major, did you mean for that to sound dirty or is it that you're just so sexy it accidentally slipped out?' _

'_You'll just have to _come_ to find out what I'm capable of.'_ I smiled about my crude comment, knowing how deliciously embarrassed and turned-on she probably was from the innuendo.

Wearing my standard long-sleeve shirt and sweat pants regardless of the fact that the weather had warmed up enough for summer clothes, I waited for Bella just outside the girls' locker room door while getting eye-fucked by the exiting females. Somehow I could feel the moment Bella was about to open the door, like I had an instinctual homing beacon on her. Fueled by our intoxicating conversation, as soon as I saw her in her tiny gym shorts and tank top which looked two sizes too small I knew I had no choice but to kiss her.

She must have had the same idea because without hesitation she closed the distance between us, crashing her mouth into mine so hard our teeth scraped. The kiss quickly became overwhelming, my hands were running along her back and neck, anywhere I could touch her before I spun us around and pressed Bella into the wall I had been leaning against moments before. Her hands immediately found their way into my hair, sealing our mouths together tightly in a way only made possible by our lack of need for oxygen.

Letting my left hand drag roughly up and down the side of her body, my nails grazed her skin as her shirt shifted up slightly, giving me access that begged to be explored further. I used my other hand to trace her delicate cheekbone with my thumb before clasping my fingers possessively behind her neck, holding her to me. As my roaming hand drove higher and lightly ghosted over the swell of her breast, she moaned into my mouth and I knew we had to stop right then or we wouldn't have been able to until we were both fully sated. Things had already gotten away from me and I wasn't used to losing my self-control like that.

Knowing we were very likely already spotted by the stragglers leaving the locker room, we both pulled away to stare into each other's eyes, allowing a minimal amount of space between us. We were both finding it difficult to cool down the smoldering sexual tension, so as per her usual style Bella broke the pressure with an amusing thought. "Was that all about me or just leftover lust from the amorous locker room activity?"

"No," I said, my voice gruff from the amount of energy it was taking to restrain myself from the temptation that was Bella's mouth. "That was some leftover lust from the day we met," I said seriously. "The residual effects of our locker room talk are going to stay with me for a long time. I'd be happy to elaborate, but we'll be really late for class because I have plenty to say on the subject."

Bella countered quickly, pulling away from our embrace as best she could since I still had her pinned on the wall. "I think that kind of intensive, hands-on education would make for a worthy enough cause to skip this class entirely." She ran her hand through my hair, her fingernails scraping my scalp as she almost distracted me from realizing her endgame.

"Oh no you don't, Sugar. We have to go to class or Carlisle will be disappointed with both of us. We'll finish this conversation at home, but know that I will be thinking about nothing but you for the rest of the day. You have my express permission to check my thoughts if you don't believe me."

She smiled, pressing her body firmly against mine before stepping out of my hold to walk to class. "I'll just have to do that then. Maybe I'll even send you some of my own daydreams to make sure I'm going to get exactly what I want when we get home later," she said confidently, reminding me yet again how conflicting the war she waged within her could be considering how coy she could be on occasion. "I really wish I never agreed to Emmett's afternoon naptime or Edward's walk in the meadow now."

"Well, you're not psychic, at least not yet anyway," I joked and immediately regretted it. I had accidentally brought Alice meeting Bella into our otherwise sexually-charged conversation. It was something we both knew would be an inevitable, uncomfortable situation for all parties involved. Not that it came as a tremendous surprise, but at the mention of my ex's name, Bella's anxiety and anger spiked dramatically along with a palpable amount of envy.

I tried to send Bella a wave of calm, but she turned to me with a look of disappointment. "I'm fine, Major. Really," she explained, "Everything is the same here on my end. I will try my hardest not to be bitter when she comes back into the picture, but the jealousy you felt just now was from something I overheard while I was hiding in the bathroom changing my clothes."

"Okay," I said, skeptical but concerned over several things in her statement. "Were you changing in the stall… to hide your scars?" I asked as delicately as possible, grasping her hand tightly to show her some silent support as we turned down the hallway towards the gymnasium doors.

She nodded at me with her eyes drawn down in shame. I hated that feeling from her because she had nothing to be embarrassed about. My scars were proof of my misdeeds; her scars were the badge of survival and strength.

Bella broke up my thought process by whispering quietly to me. "That's kind of you to think that way, but you haven't seen them. I am marked… forever marked as my Master's… his… never mind, I won't say his name for me right now. Let's just say he branded me in a very specific way. It's too much for people to look at me without pity or judgment. Even for Carlisle. He tried so hard not to react, but it was unavoidable."

"I feel the same way about myself, Darlin'. That's why I am not going to lecture you about this. Besides, you already heard my thoughts on the subject." I chuckled to help lighten the mood as we entered the gymnasium, finding almost thirty sets of eyes looking at us knowingly.

We let go of our joined hands instantly, moving to sit next to Emmett and Edward in the back of the crowd of kneeling and cross-legged students. Emmett glared at us as we sat down and Edward looked like he wanted to high-tail it to Canada for some inexplicable reason.

As soon as the coach began taking attendance and explaining the plan for the class period, I used a vampire-only tone to ask what was going on with everyone. Emmett bitingly explained, "Apparently Mike Newton saw you and Bella doing it in the middle of the hallway. I thought you two would have kept it in your pants at least 'til we got home, or possibly found a broom closet somewhere. I knew you were all horned up, but the hallway? Jazz, little sis deserves better than having Mike Newton see her naked."

"Naked? I wasn't naked. We only kissed and there was no sex of any kind," Bella hissed. She turned her head towards the coach, but I could feel her emotions fluctuate rapidly as she scanned the room with her many gifts.

Turning back to us, Bella whispered so only we could hear, "Unbelievable. Mike actually does think he saw us having sex. I am not sure _how_ he thinks that, but he truly does. Jeez, at least maybe now he'll stop coming on to me."

With an exasperated sigh, Edward tried to answer some of the questions we were all silently compiling. "I doubt it will deter him much. If anything it might make him more determined. When he first came through the door to tell everyone what he saw in the hallway, I read his mind and had already determined that he had simply imagined what he wanted to see. His thoughts seemed to skew away from reality when Jasper turned your positions so you were against the wall, Bella. I think he was concentrating so hard on his own fantasy that his brain saw what he would have liked to watch instead. After that… his thoughts turned even more licentious in a daydream which featured him being _included_ in your activities."

"Ewww," Bella hissed again, stealing the sentiment directly from me. "What a perv!" Bella tucked her head down into her raised up knees to better cover her face as she continued grumbling about horny teenagers.

"Ms. Volturi," Coach Clapp yelled, "Since you were late to class, it would be a smart move for you to pay attention now. It is only your first day, so I'm sure you want to make a good impression. You wouldn't want to get a bad reputation, right?"

His rude statement confused me until I realized he must have heard Mike Newton's big mouth declarations also. It didn't matter much. I did not like the way he was so mockingly addressing Bella in front of everyone. Irritated, I sent him a dose of anxiety to subconsciously get the point across that he was making a mistake with this endeavor before he embarrassed her any further. I had killed people for less than this - much less.

"A-a-alright," he stammered, sweat droplets popping up on his balding hairline. "So, um, moving on," he said, clearing his throat again, "Since it's a relatively nice day by Forks' standards, cloudy of course but at least it's not raining, we'll be running the barely used cross-country track out back. I want everyone in pairs or groups so no one gets left behind in the woods. Now, pick a buddy and meet me by the entrance to the track in two minutes," the coach yelled, turning around abruptly to blow his ridiculously over-sized whistle as he grabbed some orange cones to mark the track.

His announcement caused a flurry of activity, as everyone wanted to get the "best partner" based on the unspoken standards of social matching which had both intrigued and bored me to no end every time we re-entered the education system. Kids in my time simply did not behave this way; ostracizing and bullying others indiscriminately like they had created their very own Caste System.

With the addition of Bella in the class, I knew there were an odd number of people. Thinking along the same lines as I was, she looked around the room to see which student was going to be left out. With her Volturi training, like most militaristic organizations, I was not at all surprised that she would have counted the people and exits in the room as soon as we entered. It was a basic skill set that never waned once instilled, becoming like second nature to a soldier.

Even though I might have been considered one of the scariest vampires on the planet, the desperate and sad emotions from a kid picked last for a game or left out entirely always evoked my sympathy. Noticing Angela Weber walking by herself behind the crowd headed out the exit, Bella felt a surge of compassion and regret that left me wondering exactly what had transpired in that locker room earlier. Hesitantly letting go of my hand which Bella had discreetly grabbed when everyone's backs were turned, she made her way over to the lonely brunette girl.

Knowing Bella could take care of herself physically made little difference in our desire to protect her, so the three of us diligently followed behind. As we stood next to her for support, Bella addressed the depressed young woman who I could feel she somehow formed a kinship with already. "Hey Angela," Bella said as she cautiously approached, "Thanks for what you tried to do before. I heard what you said to Jessica and Lauren. I just want you to know I really appreciated the effort. They really are a pair of conceited judgmental idiots incapable of common decency just like you said. I'm just sorry they were so cruel to you though. Would you like to run the course with me and my brothers?"

"Seriously?" Angela asked, looking around incredulously as if she expected to be part of a prank at her expense. "Wow, yeah that sounds great. Thanks for including me. I figured no one would want to be near me since according to Jessica and Lauren I'll be the school pariah by the end of the day. They said they'd make sure of it," Angela muttered the last part softly.

We all started down the overgrown path together but quickly had to switch to single file as the track became increasingly narrow. Emmett, the consummate competitor, took the lead, followed by me then Bella then Angela and Edward. By the time we rounded the first bend, we had all settled into a slow jog. While this was mostly for Bella's sake, we wouldn't have wanted to give Angela a heart attack trying to keep up.

We had come to the conclusion during "human practice" that Bella had no difficulty walking and talking at a human speed, but running like a breather was nearly impossible. She seemed to enjoy her vampiric speed too much to slow down enough to be believable during longer distances. With practice we hoped she could develop the right balance, but until then she needed to jog so she didn't reveal our supernatural secret by accidentally blurring past the other students.

After a while the jog tapered to a stroll, Angela and Edward walking side by side slightly ahead of me, Bella, and Emmett. Watching them from a distance, I noticed how completely enthralled in each other's company they had become. They were having a chat about an upcoming Romeo and Juliet assignment, something my melodramatic brother adored for its angst. It was a curious thing, but I could feel the mutual attraction growing between them despite their similar states of confusion and apprehension over each other. I had to imagine that was from discovering they had so much in common without ever having spoken before. After all, instant chemistry was hard to come by, as Edward could attest since he lived a century without making any discernible connections with women. Now that it happened twice in one week, I would be a bit nervous too.

With the odd couple distracted, I took the opportunity to ask Bella about this locker room incident which I seemed to keep finding more questions than answers regarding. With Emmett on Bella's other side, I asked her out loud, hoping she wouldn't mind him being here to discuss something personal to her. "Darlin', what exactly happened in the locker room? I know you said you'd tell me later, but judging by Angela's reaction it might be better for all of us to know now."

"Yeah, I could understand that," she said, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "Plus those two bitches might pull something to get me back," she offered a moment later after squaring off her shoulders.

Emmett and I both raised our eyebrows at the trouble Bella seemed to effortlessly get herself involved in, knowing in the time it took to change our outfits she had experienced something unsettling. She really had a knack for it. Who else wins a free vacation to the vampire capital of the world, then goes on a guided tour of their lair? Bella the Trouble Magnet, that's who.

"Alright," Bella said, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Angela wasn't listening. "I was changing in the bathroom stall and I overheard Lauren and Jessica talking about me. Angela tried to defend me, but… you know what, this is silly. I'll just replay it for you. Let me just concentrate for a minute. I've never done this before." Her brows knitted together as she tried to make sense of her gifts.

"Okay, Kitten," I offered encouragingly, "Try not to include Edward since we don't want him to react in the human's presence." Bella glared at me in a way I had yet to see from her before. It was chilling and I immediately knew my mistake. "Excuse me… _Angela's_ presence."

She smiled at my redacted "human" statement and I noticed her emotions begin to shift, almost like she was filtering off the unnecessary ones as her concentration sharpened to the precise scene in vivid detail._ 'Like I said, I went into the bathroom stall to change when I heard them talking…' _Bella's voice faded out as soon as the projected image in my brain fully materialized.

We were seeing things through her eyes, her memory of the event as she peeked through the tiny opening between the stall door and the wall. There was a sense of reality in the vision due to the extreme clarity of a vampire's mind. It was so powerful that it gave me the impression of watching this scene for myself, not just an implanted projection of Bella's memory of the event.

"_I heard she was a call girl before the Cullens took her in. Apparently Dr. Cullen had treated her for some kind of incurable STD and took pity on her since she's dying from being such a whore." _

"_Oh my god, is that true, Lauren?" Jessica asked with glee in her voice, obviously giddy at the idea of such a scandalous rumor._

"_I don't know, but it's the only thing that makes sense to me. I mean, I guess she's pretty and all, but she's clearly a super skank. I mean look how she's working all of the men in that family. I feel bad for them really since it's clear she's only after their money," Lauren responded with a disgusted face, as if she would never entertain the idea._

"_I don't know. They look pretty possessive of her too. They all stick close to her like they're afraid someone's going to steal her away from them, like she's got some kind of diamond vagina that they have to protect at all cost," Jessica quipped before they both started to giggle conspiratorially._

_Lauren laughed wickedly, applying yet another layer of bright pink lipstick. With a smack of her lips, she continued, "I know exactly what you mean. I had a class with her, Jasper, and Edward earlier and they could hardly look at anything but her. I'm sure she's manipulating them with sex. Come to think of it, she looked so desperate to keep their attention focused only on her that I thought she was going to crawl under the table and blow one of them. It's sad what she's doing to them really," Lauren said with feigned sympathy._

"_Yeah, she's sooo pathetic," Jessica agreed eagerly._

_The sound of a toilet flushing in a neighboring stall heralded Angela's entrance to the scene as she walked towards the sink to wash her hands near where Lauren and Jessica were now fixing their hair in the mirror. Interrupting their hate-fest, Angela added politely, "I don't know about any of that stuff, but I had a class with her too and she seemed like a really nice girl. I think her brothers are just concerned because she's new. Not just to this school, but to their family too. I mean, that's got to be a huge adjustment, and since they're all adopted they can all relate. That was them once too." _

_Obviously angry over her lack of venom towards Bella, the two girls turned their malice on Angela instead. "What the hell would you know anyway, Angela? You're just a sheltered little church girl who is too repressed by her minister daddy to admit you wish you could land any guy at all, let alone a Cullen. You can't tell me you're not jealous that a tramp like that has had all three and probably played doctor with the daddy too," Lauren hatefully shouted._

"_First of all, I think your dirty mind is getting the best of you, Lauren. And secondly, I'm not jealous of Bella, but you both clearly are. You can act like conceited, catty witches all you want, judging everyone else when you lack the common decency to keep your opinions to yourself, but everyone knows the truth about you two and how low you'll stoop just to get attention from a boy – any boy who will look at you. You're the ones who are too pathetic to realize you should shut your mouths and your legs since no one actually wants what either of you two whores are selling." _

_Angela never waited for their reply. She turned around on a defiant heel and marched out of the locker room with her cheeks burnt scarlet red. It took a full minute for the two stunned girls to process the flurry of insults Angela had bestowed on them. Finally, Lauren began spouting maliciously again. "Oh, that bitch is so going to get it. How dare she insult me – us? Who the hell does she think she is? You know what, by the end of the day I will make sure no boy comes within a hundred feet of her ever again. Hey Jessica, didn't you hear the news, Angela Weber has a really bad case of genital herpes!"_

"_Lauren… you can be so bad sometimes," Jessica cooed adoringly at her best friend._

"_She provoked me. I could land a Cullen if I wanted to. I just think none of them have ever asked me out because I intimidate them sexually," Lauren explained, pulling her lipstick out of her handbag again._

"_Really?" Jessica asked in a disbelieving tone which seemed to provoke Lauren's irritation towards her, causing the clueless follower to backpedal immediately. "I just meant that Emmett is probably getting it all the time from Rosalie and Edward thinks he's too good for any woman in town. Now, Jasper on the other hand seems like the kind of guy not to be denied. Do you know what I mean? I bet he's a little rough in bed too." _

_Lauren seemed to consider this for a moment, scheming with a smirk on her face. "Yeah, I could see that. Oooh, maybe I'll flirt with him a little, tease him with the idea of a threesome with you like I used to land Tyler last year. He'd probably be into that, right? I mean, who wouldn't?" she asked rhetorically as she put away her make-up. "The only reason I never pursued him before was because I thought he and that tiny chick, Alice, were exclusive. Since Bella seems to have proven that theory wrong, he might like an alternative to a cheap slut who is sleeping with his entire family."_

_Jessica said dreamily, "He is super sexy. I hate that he always wears so many clothes though. I bet he has an awesome body… Oh my god, Mike told me something amazing about him once that was just too good," Jessica, lost in a thought, turned directly to Lauren. "I have no idea how we've never talked about this before, but Mike said that Jasper's brothers always stand in front of him in the locker room when they change their clothes. I asked him why, you know, thinking it was kinda hot that their okay being naked together. Mike said it's because Jasper is so well-endowed that the other boys stare." _

Back in real-life, Bella giggled a little. I supposed it was from a second reference to my substantial manhood in one day. As awkward as that was I still had some questions remaining about the rest of the scene which had clearly been the stimulus for her odd emotions earlier, but, as usual, Em interrupted with his typical silliness. "Diamond vagina… that shit was hilarious," Emmett laughed. "Hell, those really would be the family jewels, all glittery in the light. Wonder who you could get to appraise something like that?" he joked, smiling sardonically at me over the top of Bella's head.

Emmett continued laughing a little as he nudged Bella's shoulder with his own, quietly adding, "Oh, and that's not the reason we block Jazz from view, Bells. Although the 'Little Major' is definitely not _minor _by any means, so I suppose they do have a point there."

I awkwardly punched Emmett in the shoulder from around Bella's back, leaving her laughing uncontrollably between us. "That was ridiculously corny, Em. And thanks for the extra info, but I figured you guys stand in front of him for the same reason I was in the stall changing." Emmett looked thoughtful before nodding slowly in understanding, realizing he had once again over-looked Bella's history, unable to really grasp her beyond the little sister role she firmly commandeered in his heart.

"Anyway," I stressed the word to indicate the need for a new topic, "I'm still interested in finding out what caused you to feel so much lust and mischief."

"Oh, that. Well I can admit to being more than a little interested in their conversation about you, but I knew they needed some payback on Angela's behalf. Due to the subject matter, I sent them as much lust as I could. I had them sweating and panting within a minute, not knowing why they were having such a strong reaction. Then I hit them with a heavy dose of ecstasy and euphoria. Jessica was fanning herself and biting her tongue while Lauren was splashing water on her face and whimpering. Just when they seemed like they were going to tip over the edge, I replaced all that with jealousy, frustration, and fear. That was when I left the stall to wash my hands. Their dumb-founded expressions were absolutely priceless while they stared at me. I thought Jessica actually might start to cry."

"You are such a bad ass, little sis. You messed with them so bad and they don't even have a clue. That's priceless," Em said with a laugh. "After seeing her stick up for you like that Angela does seem really nice. I'm glad you asked her to come with us. Besides, those two sluts definitely had that coming. Rosie can't stand them either. Man, I can't wait for you to meet her."

"When are the girls going to be back? Tomorrow night, right?" Bella asked hesitantly. I grabbed her hand as a show of solidarity, trying to allay any feeling of doubt in her mind that Alice would be coming home as anything more than a sister in my eyes – if that, considering her hostile behavior.

"Yeah, I know you're feeling a little nervous, but we'll all be there for you, Darlin'," I said. "If Alice starts any trouble then you and I will take off alone for a while. Everything will work out, I promise." Visions of hotel rooms and secluded spots in the wilderness far from Forks and any of its potential issues was enough to make my mind wander through the romantic possibilities, hoping Bella would want that too.

"Sounds like a good back-up plan to me," she said with a playful smirk. And not one to disappoint, Bella added, "But maybe we should do that anyway, Cowboy."

"Geez, this is painful to a big brother's ears, Belly Bear," Emmett complained, starting to run at a brisker pace to get away from any flirtation he might overhear.

After a minute of walking in companionable silence, only listening to Edward and Angela discussing their favorite music, Bella finally spoke, "I know what you said, but things might get uncomfortable for you with me here when Alice comes back. If you want or need to keep your distance then I would understand. It's only fair to you – to all of you."

"Not to me," I said abruptly. "I want to have you near me all the time. Alice and I were over long before you were even involved. It might be a bitter pill for her to swallow, but you are as much a part of this family now as she is."

Stopping our forward motion completely with a firm hand on my shoulder, she looked into my eyes with a conflicted sense of longing. "I was just trying to make things easier for you, Major."

"Maybe I prefer things that require a bit of a challenge, like you for instance. You're so complex and deep, always surprising me with the way you look at the world. Chasing you around these past couple of days has definitely been more fun for me than anything I can remember."

"Well, I hope I can keep up that reputation then so you don't suddenly decide I bore you. Perhaps I should make your _pursuit_ of me a bit more interesting then," she said, her sly smile making me nervous.

Feeling her mischievous demeanor, I teased right back, "Since I already find you to be the single most fascinating creature on the planet, it is definitely not necessary but I'd love to see you try anyway, Darlin'."

"Deal," she said eagerly. "Let's start right now then. I want you to try to catch me. First one to pass Emmett is the winner."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea considering the issue you were having last time we practiced," I spoke quickly before she had time to jump into the race early like she did the day we met.

"Master," she pleaded, her voice light but confident, "Please give me a chance. I will make you proud of me. I promise."

"Kitten, the only thing I want is for you to be proud of yourself. I already believe in you," I said truthfully, letting go of her hand so we could run separately. I sent her a dose of pride to drive my point home and I felt her gratitude in return.

"I like the sound of that," Bella said, smiling happily, thoughtfully staring at her hands for a moment before meeting my eyes. "Plus you could always tackle me again if I misbehave."

And _I_ certainly liked the sound of that. "Ready," I said and she nodded. We heard Edward groan something that sounded like "not again" before we shared a smug look, challenging each other before I continued the countdown. "Set… Go."

We took off running at a relatively slow pace, leaving Edward and Angela to their brisk jog. While I did believe Bella could do this, I didn't want her to force it if she suddenly felt she was unable. With the threat of exposure a possibility, I made sure I was only a few feet in front of her because I thought she would find it as difficult to maintain after a few yards as she had the day before. In that position I could grab her as she went by if she started moving at anything faster than a human speed.

Preparing for the possibility of trying to throw a Master command her way to help her maintain a believable human pace, I was completely surprised when I heard her giggle. As we started around a bend we saw Lauren and Jessica ahead of us. Before I realized she was up to something based on her amused emotions, Bella threw Lauren a massive dose of insecurity. I wondered what she intended to do with that until she sent Jessica a huge surge of aggression and extreme confidence. That was something which would typically lend itself to being severely deluded by feelings of superiority, acting overly cocky.

I saw both girls slow to a walk under Bella's empathic hold before Lauren crossed her arms over her chest just as Jessica sneered at her in contempt. "What's wrong, Lauren? Did you just realize you looked like shit in that shirt? Who wears a spaghetti strapped tank with no bra to gym class? That's not sexy, that's skanky." I never heard Lauren's response as we passed them, but I detected the tell-tale smell of fresh tears about to fall. After having seen their interaction in Bella's replayed memory, I would have bet money that Jessica had never spoken that way to Lauren before, something which would be very interesting to watch play out now that the Alpha girl in their pairing was challenged.

As we got out of hearing range of the dumb duo, I couldn't help but comment at the well played prank. "That was very naughty, Kitten." I glanced over my shoulder to see that Bella looked victorious with a satisfied smirk on her face and not the slightest hint of remorse to be found. I loved that look of pure confidence and power from her. It was so god damn sexy.

"Major, you haven't seen naughty yet." She giggled again and pointed for me to look ahead of us on the path. Emmett was about fifty yards ahead and slowing down, presumably since he heard us coming.

I increased my speed to ensure my victory when I heard the delicate little chuckle I recalled coming from Bella during our first race. I knew that meant something amazing and very wicked was about to happen since the clever minx was obviously planning something. Despite his distance at the time, Emmett must have heard the rules since he stopped to designate himself as our official finish line.

Determined to win, I picked up the pace a little more as we neared the end. Emmett had a smile on his face which should have clued me in to the fact he could see Bella doing something behind me, but I was blinded by my potential glory and disregarded my instincts that she was about to unveil her trickster plan.

When Emmett was about thirty feet in front of me, my win imminent, he suddenly turned around to face the other direction. I was confused, but hadn't the opportunity to think on it as I felt a firm hand squeeze my butt. Startled, I turned my head in just enough time to see the reason for Emmett not looking. Bella had pulled her top down and exposed her bra to my ravenous gaze, impeding my steps as I struggled not to fall.

Reacting the way any man would when confronted with a pair of beautiful bouncing breasts, my jaw dropped and I slowed to a near stop. Bella easily took the lead and finished ahead of me with a few seconds to spare despite her human-speed handicap. After quickly readjusting her clothes, she squealed in delight and jumped up and down declaring herself the winner.

After calming down, Bella eyed me cautiously to gauge my reaction even though she could feel my lust combined with a hint of resentment for her trickery. She finally explained, "I knew how much you liked that tap-dancing in a bikini idea, so I thought running in a skimpy bra might suffice until I practice my routine." I gave her a warning growl for teasing me, but the wave of arousal I detected seemed to indicate that sound had the opposite effect on her.

Feeling confident he had given his little sister enough time to get fully covered, Emmett turned around and smiled broadly at both of us; Bella celebrating and me scowling. He smirked at her, proud over her obvious win and successfully played prank. I realized that Bella must have projected her plot to him since he had turned around to protect her modesty. Emmett must have known what she was going to do as soon as we came around the corner and that was why he stopped in the first place.

I smiled wickedly from my revelation and turned all of my attention on him. "I thought brothers were supposed to stick together, Em, but you were plotting against me with the dirty little cheater," I growled through gritted teeth, sending him a wave of amusement so he didn't misunderstand anything for actual aggression. I didn't give him a chance to respond, tackling him where he stood while Bella clapped and howled with excitement, loving to stir up innocent trouble.

Emmett and I struggled for a minute, taking turns rolling to the top position over and over before Bella's tinkling laughter caught our attention simultaneously. He winked at me in a signal to join forces before we rolled purposely closer to her. Catching her in an unprecedented moment of surprise, we both pulled Bella down on top of us without warning, grabbing her flailing legs and arms as she struggled to regain her normal advantage. The two of us had wrestled her many times and we were well aware that she could be just as lethal in a fight on the ground. Despite the fact that having her battle it out with both of us at the same time increased our odds, it wasn't by much considering she was quite an ass-kicker.

Ground fighting was not a skill many vampires possessed since supernatural conflicts were hardly ever evenly matched and rarely lasted long enough to make it that far. This made our play fights extremely entertaining. Unfortunately for our male pride, Bella excelled at this as well, having trained in fierce sparring matches with the most exceptional fighters the vampire world had to offer, all of whom had been recruited by the Volturi Guard for their skill and viciousness. Unlike her former adversaries, Bella took a more playful take on fighting, usually pretending to let us win for a few minutes before completely turning the tables. Emmett called it "The Bella Special".

We all laughed and changed positions, both Emmett and I trying to pin a very wily Bella for a three count. Working in tandem, I tried to grab a hold of her hips while Emmett was struggling to get a grip on her shoulders without much success. We were having so much fun with Bella at a deficit facing the two of us that we hadn't heard the footsteps coming along the path until it was too late.

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. Let me know if you have a question. I'd be happy to answer. :)

And a special thanks to all those who have reviewed! You have made me smile like a mad fool!

Next time: Our favorite pair cause quite a lot of trouble in the library. Uh-oh!


	10. The Consequences of Shameless Voyeurism

A/N: Just saying, I love this chapter! It was so much fun to write. Hopefully it will be a fun one to read. Let me know! Love you all.

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 10 – The Consequences of Shameless Voyeurism*

Jasper's Point of View

I heard a click sound and knew who it was immediately, the only couple we passed on our way to our "Emmett finish line" – Jessica and Lauren. We all looked up from our slightly compromising position with Bella sandwiched between us, as the three of us lost our grins. They strolled by giggling and we could easily hear their whispered conversation as they left our view around the next turn in the heavily wooded course.

Lauren chuckled as she clicked away on the buttons of her phone, obviously having forgiven Jessica for her earlier remarks. "I really don't like that girl, but I would switch places with her in a second if it meant I got that kind of treatment from two fine ass sex gods."

"I know, right? If we had walked by a few minutes later we might have gotten to see if all the fuss Mike was making about their dicks was justified," Jessica said disappointedly.

Having ruined our happy bubble, we called the fight and race a draw. Focusing our attention on finishing the course, we got up and fixed our clothing, walking and joking about the different ways we could entertain ourselves with pranks on Mike, Lauren, and Jessica. Emmett liked the challenge of having to do everything anonymously despite the fact it went against his nature to abstain from bragging about his pranks afterwards, typically commemorating the events with photographic evidence that he literally kept in a scrap book. It made better sense to take our revenge from a distance since Bella's position within our family could be jeopardized if the Kings thought she was not behaving accordingly.

The brain-storming session persisted until Emmett's phone began to ring with a very familiar tone signifying Alice was calling. Madonna's "Material Girl". He claimed it was because the hyper sprite secretly loved the eighties, but we all knew it was meant as a satire on Alice's superficial tendencies – to everyone except Alice anyway.

"What's up? Kinda busy here, Alice," Emmett answered hurriedly, holding a grudge against the pixie for what she did to me with the divorce papers.

Expecting my ex's overly-excited voice, I braced myself for Bella's reaction but became confused to hear Rosalie at what sounded like a batting cage based on the noises in the background. "Em, I know I asked you to welcome our new sister into the family with open arms, but don't you think making out with her _and_ Jasper in the woods is pushing the limits of my request just a bit?"

"What? Rosie, what are you talking about and why are you calling from Alice's phone?" Emmett asked as we all stopped walking to wait for her response.

Rosalie replied with an annoyed yet amused demeanor as she left the area filled with sounds of mayhem and screeching. "Alice, the little pixie bitch, threw mine out the window. My phone and anything not nailed down in our hotel room actually. A few minutes ago I got a text message from that bitch Lauren Mallory even though I have no idea how she got my number in the first place. Anyway, care to explain what was obviously sent as a mass text to the entire student body labeled "Bella's Cardio Workout – Doing 2 Cullens in the Woods".

"Oh that bitch is going to get it!" Emmett yelled, shaking his head free of what I had to assume were some fairly murderous thoughts. "By the tone of your voice though I am going to assume you understand that it wasn't what it looked like. Jasper and Bella had a race and she cheated _again_. Then they were wrestling and I was helping him because she was kicking his ass."

"Fair enough." I heard Rosalie chuckle slightly before she resumed her typically bothered tone. "I knew nothing bad was happening there, just normal horseplay. The same cannot be said for Alice, however. She completely lost it. I already packed during her temper tantrum so I'm going to be driving back just as soon as I find my phone in these damn bushes where I think it landed."

"The bushes? Rosie, are you okay? What happened?" Emmett asked with concern for his mate making him look fearsome, ready to attack anything which threatened her even a thousand miles away.

"I really don't know what happened. Everything was going fine, a little awkward, but fine. After doing some epic shopping the last few days we decided to go to a spa a few hours outside of Seattle before heading home. We relaxed and talked about the divorce, the family, whatever, you know normal girl stuff. She wasn't making a lot of sense with some of the plans she was making, but you know how Alice can be." Emmett and I shared a look of understanding for Rosalie's reference, knowing exactly what she implied about Alice's sometimes obscure flights of fancy.

"Anyway, when you called earlier you only referred to the newbie as 'Little Sis' and we still hadn't been told our new sister's name. We've just been calling her 'Sissy'. She's very pretty by the way, Bella, I mean. Okay, so Alice was finally starting to adjust to the idea of Sissy being around, even with her diminished capacity to see the future; she was planning on using that as a reason to vacation more or something. Anyway, that was until the pixie saw the picture and read the caption. She started going ballistic about her name. She spent a few minutes screeching 'Bella!' over and over again. I've never seen her so crazed. I grabbed my suitcases and got the hell out of there as fast as I could."

"Wait, Rosie, so are you really going to leave Alice alone there to trash the hotel room like a rockstar?"

"Oh hold on a second, I think I see my phone… Yep, got it. Wow, now I'm really glad Esme and I bedazzled it. Anyway, to answer your question, hell yeah I'm leaving that crazy pixie behind. In fact as soon as I hang up I'll call you from my phone instead. I'm going to send the bellboy to the room to give her this one so I don't get sucked back into that mess. I'll send you the photo too so you can see what everyone else in school likely already has. Call you right back, Em. Love you."

A moment later Emmett's phone beeped with a message from Rosalie before he passed it to me and Bella so we could look at it together. We were all shocked at what we saw. Lauren had somehow captured our play-fight at a perfect moment of scandalous incrimination despite our truly innocent activities.

Looking at it through the perspective of a horny teenager, I could see where the misinterpretations would occur. In the picture, I was on the ground with Bella straddling my waist. Her hair was an unbridled mess of what people could easily misconstrue as sex hair. Forgetting the fact that our clothes were on, she appeared to be vigorously riding me with Emmett either watching or about to join us. Her right hand had bunched up my shirt on my chest, exposing my abs which thankfully were cast in the shadows or my scars would have been visible.

With my hand on her shoulder pushing her back, I noted that that position could be easily misinterpreted as me palming her breast while Bella's back was arched sharply in ecstasy. Really she was only trying to grab Emmett unexpectedly with her left hand because he was sneaking up behind her.

The goofy look on Emmett's face didn't help the situation either. He was devilishly smirking at how easily Bella was still winning even though she was fighting her cause alone against both of us. In the picture, however, it appeared he was very into what he was watching.

The most damning thing though was my own face. You could see the intense raw hunger for her emanating from my eyes. The very real attraction I felt towards her was abundantly obvious in even during the friendly exchange. Since pictures can tell a thousand words, the most prolific story this picture told was how incredibly turned on Bella made me, how much I enjoyed her being so close to me, and just how eager I was for more.

I tried to gauge Bella's feelings to determine what she might have thought about how the scene appeared to a casual observer, but she had closed herself off to me once more. I expected her to be furious or embarrassed, but as she met my eyes I knew she was going to surprise me once again. With a wicked smile forming, she used her thumb to block Emmett's image on the screen. She gave me a questioning glance, leaving me fully aware of her implications.

The "cropped" picture showed what it might look like if the two of us were having sex. She even waggled her eyebrows to make her point more obvious, not that it was necessary because the sudden burst of lust from her was an even more effective signal. She practically purred at me as I handed the phone back to Emmett and we lost ourselves in the depths of each other's eyes momentarily, imagining and planning how to make that scene a reality.

Easily catching up to us since we had been distracted for the past few minutes, Edward and Angela approached our group with nervous smiles. It was obvious by his awkward emotions that Angela had shown Edward the picture she had undoubtedly received along with the rest of the student body. Distracted for a moment, I couldn't think of a reason these human teenagers insisted on carrying their phones during gym class like they were a bunch of on-call brain surgeons or something. It was ridiculous.

It wasn't until I felt my mind-reader brother's very palpable interest in the shy brunette next to him that I stopped weighing the merits of any technological advancement which left brainless children in possession of so much power at their fingertips. With a slight smile and a raised eyebrow, I mentally questioned Edward about his attraction to the girl. He nodded back discreetly, somehow hiding the smile I could empathically feel resonating within him.

I was happy for him. Not to mention relieved that Edward would stop pursuing Bella now that he had a viable alternative in Angela Weber. Although she and I hadn't spoken about an exclusive relationship directly, there was no denying that we felt something potent happening between us. It was undeniable. And if for some reason Bella didn't think the same way, I vowed right then and there that I was going to take steps to remedy that misunderstanding very soon.

"So I take it you got the breaking news," I asked Edward, deciding not to play a hypothetical game of "Loves me - Loves me not" while in Bella's presence.

"Do I even have to guess? Bella cheated, right?" Edward asked rhetorically, watching her expression betray her guilt. Bella had been steadily warming up to him since we all went out for her backpack and then to the movies afterwards, something we were all thankful for. She had even raced him a few times which subsequently led to one play-fight after Edward deemed her constant winning to be duplicitous. Their ensuing "fight" would go down in history as one of the most one-sided matches of all time. Edward relied so heavily on his gift that with it neutralized by Bella's shield his skills were really put to the test. Needless to say she tossed him around like a rag doll.

"Are you kidding? Belly Bear doesn't know the meaning of the word, Edward. Wait, unless you consider flashing someone to win an innocent foot race cheating? If so, then yes, I would say she is extremely guilty." Emmett ducked as Bella made a motion like she intended to smack him.

She chased him around our gathered group, bumping into me as she teased. "Don't forget, Em, I smacked his ass first. That alone should have gotten me disqualified, but we all know you boys make exceptions for me due to sheer entertainment value."

"Got that right, baby sis," Emmett said with a friendly pat on Bella's back. "Now, Edward, we were conspiring on some diabolical plots against those two witches that tried to make us having fun into something sinister. Any thoughts?"

"I'm sure Angela does not want to be exposed to your warped mind, Em. We can plot all you want at home. For now, I think we should finish the course so we aren't dead last. That would look even more suspicious given the nature of that photo." Edward's voice was stern, but didn't reflect his typically depressing attitude behind it. I could only hope it was a change which would stick.

Without comment we did as Edward suggested and concentrated on running, somehow getting into the same formation as earlier and making good time. Leaving the wooded area and stepping onto the mowed fields signifying the school grounds, I noticed the foul stench of wet dog hanging heavily in the air. It seemed to be at least an hour old though. I was relieved knowing we wouldn't have any wolf issues for the moment at least. The rigid posture, darting eyes, and thick tension suddenly clouding the emotions of my family members meant that although none of them mentioned it due to the human presence in our group I had not been alone in my observations.

Upon entering the gymnasium to reconvene with the classmates who finished ahead of us, the five of us were met with thunderous applause. With questioning faces, we turned to the coach whose cheeks darkened slightly before he looked away with unease. I realized that somehow he had seen the photo Lauren snapped too. I knew that kind of attention would not bode well for our "perfect personas" within the community. It was the faculty's perception of our wholesome superiority compared to the regular humdrum teens of Forks which provided a certain amount of latitude we needed to function as incognito vampires attending a high school. That had now been tarnished by the makings of a very different kind of reputation, all due to two bullies who had no idea the kind of enemies they were making.

Dealing with it the way we often did unwanted attention, my family, along with Angela, ignored them all and sat down on the floor with the rest of the class. Purposely choosing spots in the back so the busybodies had to make a concerted effort to stare at us to better analyze our every move, we waited for the coach to regain his composure and re-take attendance as the last of the students returned from the run.

The coach started explaining what we would be doing for the rest of class, free time consisting of a choice between basketball and volleyball like usual. Detecting abnormal amounts of lust directed at us, no doubt a result of the dumb duos photography work, I thought we should stick close to Bella just in case, especially after I noted how oddly protective Bella was becoming of Angela as class wore on.

Angela and Bella seemed more interested in volleyball than anything else, so the three of us guys stayed as close as possible to them without interfering in the all-female game. The rest of class past with mostly just giggles and whispers about how fun it must be to be a Cullen while my brothers and I tried to make a decent show of a basketball game played with only human capabilities.

Keeping my eyes on Bella out of habit – and desire if I was being honest – made me acutely aware of the interaction between the human girls in a way I had never noticed before. Whether they had always been as vicious and catty I couldn't say, but Lauren and Jessica had spent the remainder of the class approaching the other girls either individually or in small groups to spread their salacious rumors. Every few sentences were punctuated with pointing at Angela and Bella, all the while laughing loudly during their over-dramatically hushed conspiratorial conversations.

I hated that Angela was being tormented for sticking up for Bella earlier. I wanted to do something to ease the mounting anxiety the mousy brunette was experiencing, but it seemed Bella had beat me to it. Based on the pranking possibilities Bella projected to me and Emmett on our run, I was aware that she had some intentions for the blonde brain-trust but it just was not the right time to execute her plans. That sneaky vampire was practically giddy by the idea of some immediate retribution, but I could I feel her resolve to wait only slightly edge out her mischievousness.

She kept sending me wickedly sexy smiles and purposeful concentrations of lust as class drew on. It was enough to keep my mind preoccupied from engaging in one long blood-filled fantasy starring the two slutty bullies, so much so they were practically forgotten as I watched Bella reach down and grab the ball from the floor. She knew what her movements were doing to me, securing her eyes to mine as she seemed to be moving in super-sexy slow-motion.

It was during one of those moments when Bella and I were engaged in our long-range flirtation, Angela's scream echoed off the walls, startling us both out of the fantasy world we had created. Struck in the face by a volleyball, Angela was whimpering from the injury which caused her to stumble to the ground in a daze. As the hurt young woman managed to get to her knees, she pulled her hands away from her face, revealing twin trickles of blood already leaking from her nose much to Bella and surprisingly Edward's abject horror.

Suppressing the reflex to breathe, I braced myself for the burn in my throat to begin to rage the all too familiar war on my self-control, frozen with fear over the potential danger I posed to everyone around me. It took a moment for the revelation to hit, but as soon as I caught Bella's eyes she winked at me. While I had quickly determined she had indeed quelled my bloodlust from being triggered, I just couldn't understand how.

Afraid to test the novelty of my diminished bloodlust, I realized that I trusted in Bella more. Proving my faith was well-placed, I walked a little closer to Angela under Emmett's rapt attention. When I felt no desire to rip into the bleeding human, I smiled assuredly at Emmett, noticing his own darkening, worried eyes.

In the absence of the hunger I would have expected to overwhelm me, Bella's nurturing emotions towards Angela made me want to slaughter whoever had thrown the ball instead. Just as I thought to look around, I heard the dim-witted culprits giggling about how successful Lauren's serve was. I stifled my growl and shot Bella a subtle look before tilting my head in their direction. She nodded in return, looking like she was about to say something to me when the Coach emerged from between the teenaged bodies, icepack in hand.

After Coach Clapp asked Bella to escort Angela to the nurse's office for treatment, she looked at me with deference, obviously worried about being too far away. Wanting to alleviate her concern, I made my way over to Bella and Angela to speak more privately. Not that I could blame them, but I could feel my brothers staring at me incredulously, unmistakable looks of utter disbelief on both their faces. While Emmett looked proud at my restraint, Edward was still studying me for signs of violence as I neared the bleeding human he had clearly developed some interest in.

With an assuring nod to my brother, I spoke to Bella, grateful for the ability to remain in control in the face of so much spilling blood. "It's so close to the end of class that you should probably just go change first. We'll meet you outside the library. Okay Darlin'?" I asked her as the gathered crowd started to disperse, the couch muttering over the typical teenage clamor that the show was over.

"You got it, Cowboy," Bella replied sweetly as she put her arm around Angela's shoulders. With the human clinging to her for support and Edward walking slightly behind them, Bella led the injured girl toward the locker room.

"Cowboy?" Mike Newton commented loudly to the idiot standing next to him at the back of the throng of kids, drawing the attention of many already gawking teens. I wasn't sure if I was meant to hear it or not, but enough of the room had, making a reply from me not only expected but necessary. "That's fitting since he probably calls her Cowgirl when she's riding him bareback like in that pic of them in the woods." His cronies laughed, noticing me looking at them from over Mike's shoulder as he continued, oblivious to my presence. "Probably has pet names for the rest of her brother-boyfriends too. And here I thought Edward was gay."

"Excuse me," I said loudly.

Emmett came up fast from behind me, keeping some distance just in case he was needed. He was probably worried about raising my hackles even more by crowding me in the furious state I was in at the moment. While he had kept his space with Angela bleeding all over the floor, there was no way he would not take the opportunity to confront a kid I knew he detested.

As bothered as I was, I was still in control, my anger fueled by a morning spent dealing with the biggest idiots in the school upsetting my girl. I knew the worst thing would be for Mike to get over-zealous due to the infectious spread of human testosterone in the crowd and try to punch me in front of so many witnesses. I could duck, but in my effort to keep up human appearances something unexpected could happen. How would we account for his shattered hand in the absence of a scratch on me? A really strong jaw? Lots of calcium?

Knowing no explanation could account for such a thing, I decided to try to invoke a sense of calm, projecting it outward to help simmer the situation down to a more tolerable level. That method would have worked like a charm, proven reliable during moments of palpable tension over the course of my long life, had I not noticed Mike's eyes glued to Bella's retreating form earlier. He had been staring at her like a salivating dog. Registering his lust and growing resentment towards Bella from what I could only assume was her inattention to Mike's best efforts to get noticed, I decided that this over-confident human's annoyances were no longer acceptable.

Changing tactics, I sent a heavy dose of fear at Mike, spilling over to anyone nearby in such a profound way that they all started to shake and pant. The more animalistic part of "the Major" inside me liked that reaction very much. I took two steps closer to Mike, purposely engaging his instinctual human response to want to run away just from being in the presence of a supernatural being. He looked as though he might faint, his eyes dilating as his body swayed to the side slightly. There was no way he'd try to get physical with me now, not when he was a second away from urinating in his pants.

"Did you say something, Mike? I thought I heard you say something about Bella, but I must have misunderstood. You would never speak so disrespectfully of her, right, Mike?" I asked in an authoritative, emotionless voice which left no room for argument.

With his bravado lost the moment he had looked into my cold eyes, Mike began mumbling, "Yeah, I uh, well, there's sucky acoustics in the gym." With that excuse he tucked tail and ran away followed closely behind by a few of his football buddies who kept insisting he was no coward. Pointing out that I had waited to say something until my giant of a brother came to stand behind me, they assured him he could have taken me had the fight been fair. While they could say whatever they wanted to egg him on in the future, I knew they too were a moment away from calling out for their mothers.

Following shortly after the others entered the hallway, Emmett and I noticed the coach watching us closely from his office attached to the locker room the moment we walked through the door. Newton had undoubtedly told the coach some rubbish before we got there, and after the drama of the day so far we changed quickly and quietly, leaving without another word for the football fools who were all commiserating over the fight that wasn't in the next aisle over. Even though I could tell Emmett wanted to scare Mike a bit more, I knew there would be plenty of time for that later. It wasn't as if Newton or the slutty trouble-makers were about to call a cease-fire now that they had stirred up so much gossip, putting themselves in the spotlight where they obviously yearned to be.

Edward, who had made it back just in time to change after checking in on Angela, had to be telepathically informed of the situation. I was careful not to repeat the scene verbatim, giving an overview only. I knew the comments made about him and Bella would have only served to increase the tension in the air once again, making my own anger exponentially harder to deal with after I had finally settled down some.

After leaving Emmett to get to his own class, the mind reader was on a mission to get back to Angela as quickly as possible. Had I not been apprised of his own confusion over his deep desire to seek her out, I would have questioned his odd behavior. To be honest I was relieved he didn't seem inclined to speak of it either. I had been dealing with enough of that with my own emotional tornado as of late. Bella had turned my world on its axis the moment I met her in the woods and the only thing I knew with any clarity anymore was my absolute need to have her near, something I would not begrudge Edward for seeking out Angela in a similar way.

Instead of meeting Bella in front of the library like we had agreed, Edward and I caught the girls just as they were leaving the Nurse's Office. Escorting them to our next class, one which we all happened to share, I had informed Bella about the project that had our World History class meeting in the library for the rest of the week. Gathering information for the term paper due at the end of the month, it was mostly time Edward and I had been spending reading magazines, having memorized enough workable material to write up the assignment in minutes if needed.

With the addition of Angela to our group, I was happy for the lack of supervision in this class. Now that it seemed Edward and Bella's budding friendship would also be aided by Angela as a source of commonality, it meant I wouldn't spend this entire period acting as their go-between. The human gave them a better buffer to focus on, effortlessly diminishing the awkwardness that always seemed to settle between them despite the small strides they had made recently.

After taking the books from the girls and checking on Angela's medical situation, we started walking towards the next class. Bella smiled warmly at us for our chivalrous gesture, looping arms with both of them as we proceeded to Forks High's library. Forced to ignore the stares and lewd gestures in our direction courtesy of a brainless bimbo and her Blackberry, we finally arrived, my empathy a little worse for the wear.

As soon as I opened the door to the school's small library, I immediately faulted my Bella-distracted mind for causing my usually flawless vampire memory to go so awry. I had completely forgotten that the only three members of the Cullens' 'Most Wanted to Prank' list were all in this class too. Feeling the attention of everyone in the room as soon as we entered, Edward suggested we sit at the table furthest from view to make our study time a little more tolerable.

With a plop, Bella fell into her chair the way she had practiced during our human lessons. Against the grain of her extraordinary vampiric grace, she played up the exhausted, uncoordinated human act with tremendous ease. "Oh, I almost forgot," she sighed, "Which one is the teacher? I need to get them to sign my new student slip to return to the office later."

Angela pointed in the direction of Mrs. Arnold and Bella took off, anxious to get her required signature from the teacher. From the look of the pudgy woman, she was going to use our study time as another extended coffee break, bothered by every interaction with a student that interrupted her sipping the questionable contents of her red Thermos while looking at a trashy gossip magazine. In fact, Mrs. Arnold had been doing this every period since setting the research assignment, having long ago lost any semblance of being a good teacher to these kids who actually had things they needed to learn in high school.

Watching her as best I could from the limited vantage point afforded by our undercover position in the back of the room, I felt Angela's curiosity and sadness peak just as Bella approached our stout teacher. It appeared I was not the only one who had been watching the beauty as she made her way across the room to get her slip signed. I was only aware Angela intended to use Bella's inattention to address me and Edward when I felt her courage bolster a moment before hearing her hushed voice. "I really like Bella, but… Look, I don't know how to say this so please excuse me for being so direct, but is she _okay_? I mean, well, I saw something that didn't look so _okay_ while we were changing and… Oh, I don't know how to say this… Do you know what I'm talking about?"

We did. Both of us had different perspectives on the subject of Bella's situation, but Angela's concern would have been founded after seeing the evidence of her torture. I glanced at Edward who simply shrugged, looking at me expectantly as if I had been automatically elected to field any scar related questions due to my own. _'Thanks a lot, brother,'_ I thought to the mind-reader whose lip twitched slightly in response.

Feeling an unmistakable tightness in my chest again, I kept my eyes trained on Bella as best I could despite the obstructed view between the book cases and bustling students walking past. Uncomfortable with the subject matter, I asked Angela brusquely, "What exactly did you see?"

I could tell the young woman was having a difficult time articulating her worries, but underneath her discomfort was a well-spring of concern and caring for Bella that pleased me greatly. Wanting to both reward her and finish the conversation before Bella's imminent return, I sent Angela a burst of confidence and trust to encourage her thoughts on the subject.

"Bella is so sweet. I mean I can tell there is just something special about her. I've never met someone and felt so automatically at ease with them. That's why I can't believe that someone could hurt her, but from what I can tell she has been hurt… by someone very cruel," Angela said, her voice weak. "As soon as we got in the locker room she said she needed to change in the stall. I think she would have except I got the feeling she was worried to leave me alone for some reason. She kept glancing at the door and I'm really glad she stayed with me because a minute later Jessica and Lauren came in looking really pissed off. They were headed my way but backed off when they saw I wasn't alone.

"Of course they still did their normal routine, intentionally speaking loudly about us as if we couldn't hear them. I wanted to scream at them, I knew one of them beamed me with the ball in the first place, but Bella kept me focused on getting to the nurse. She even had to help me get dressed because my nose was bleeding too much. While I was waiting for her to change I had asked about what I thought was a huge tattoo on her back, realizing it was a sensitive issue after seeing her reaction. As soon as I mentioned it she looked like she wanted to cry and was desperate not to let the tears fall. I felt so bad." What Angela didn't realize was that Bella wasn't just being brave by not crying, she was just incapable. If she was finally able to shed those tears for everything that had happened to her then she might begin to really heal.

Angela's overwhelming sadness at the memory of what she saw made me even more convinced that I needed to ask Bella to show me her scars just as soon as she felt comfortable enough. Angela gathered her thoughts, wanting to continue quickly. She was obviously worried Bella would return and catch us talking about her, something I had been initially worried about as well but if I relaxed enough to focus on her I seemed to know exactly where Bella was in relation to me - much too far for my liking.

Angela continued, almost breathless with how fast she was trying to get out her words. "I only saw it because every time I leaned forward my nose would start gushing again. She had to bend down to tie my shoes for me and that's when I saw her back… a little bit anyway even though I could tell there was a lot more. I just… I'm not looking for any details, but just please tell me if she's okay? I have never seen anything like that in my entire life. I feel like I'd do anything to help her," Angela said, her brows furrowed as if the words didn't make sense despite the fact I could feel her conviction.

"Someone did hurt her, Angela. Please don't ask her about it directly though," I said, sending her a wave of reassurance so she would accept my advisement without pushing the issue. "She's doing better, but it is a very painful subject for her to talk about with anyone."

"I won't say anything to upset her after everything she's done for me, but I just wanted to make sure she had someone to talk to about it even if that someone's not me."

I was about to lie and tell Angela that Bella was in counseling to further assuage her concerns, but Edward interrupted probably because of something in her thoughts. "She talks to Jasper about her abuse, Angela."

"As long as she is talking to someone who understands how she feels," Angela said with concern, more to herself than us.

"I understand better than most, Angela," I replied quietly and saw the uncomfortable girl's unsteady smile turn into a frown with recognition of the implication of my words.

Bella thankfully returned a minute later and chastely kissed my cheek, claiming my hand and pulling it to her chest like she had been missing the closeness of our bodies just as much as I had. With her signed slip in hand and caring people all around her, Bella seemed very content and happily went about her classwork. We were researching a variety of areas for our papers even though it wasn't really necessary for mine. I had written on my topic at least twice before, but I knew this whole high school experience was important to Bella. This was her first round of education as a vampire or a human and I wanted to make the most of it.

We were silently going about our tasks before Bella asked to be given a tour of the library to better conduct her research. There was a sly smirk on her face as she asked for help, painting a slightly different picture than the angelic way she spoke for Angela and Edward's benefit. Jumping at the chance to get her alone, we sauntered off between the stacks. Stopping several times to tease each other with lingering touches, I somehow managed to keep myself under control enough to explain what she needed to know to get her assignment done.

We were somewhere between the periodicals and the young adult books when our attention was drawn away from each other and towards the jealous hissing of our names. Blocked from view, Bella and I situated ourselves behind a shelving unit right next to the study tables in the center of the library to covertly spy on the whisperers – none other than the dumb blonde duo and Mike Newton.

"I'm sorry, but why should she have all the fun," Lauren whined. "Those two are obviously into some kinky stuff to be able to share a girl like that… all I'm saying is I want that girl to be me. And that's not gross, Mike. I don't care what you say."

"I'm not saying it's gross in general, but there is something seriously wrong with all of them, Lauren. Those guys are really freaky and I don't mean in a sex way, though they probably are that way too since they live in Casa de los Cullens," Mike explained, sounding smug. "Besides, I think Bella is pretty cute and if those guys would just leave her alone for half a minute then I'm sure I could convince her to stop fucking her freaky brothers and start going out with me instead."

Jealously, Jessica snapped back, "Why would you want her after she's been with them anyway, Mike?"

"Cause she's friggin' hot, Jess, and if she can handle two dudes at once like that then she might have some incredible sex skills I haven't even thought of yet," Mike said, his mind clearly in a fantasy again.

"So are you up to helping me out then?" Lauren demanded while Jessica scoffed, bothered by Mike's words more than she was letting on.

"Hell yeah I'll help," Mike replied excitedly. "I would love to break them all up, but I don't think Emmett is a regular in whatever arrangement they have."

"Why?" Jessica asked dumbly.

"The night I met Bella, she stated outright that Jasper was her favorite brother. Plus Emmett is Rosalie's man and she's fuck-hot too," Mike said with a glazed-over look in his eyes. "Wait, do you think maybe she joins them and it turns into a foursome. Oh my God that would be so incredible. Man, I wish I could trade places with one of those rich dicks just for one day, just to see what really goes on at their house."

With a soft caress on my shoulder to get my attention, Bella whispered too quietly for human ears to register. "Major, I couldn't have set this up better if I tried. You know how I have been toying with an idea to get a little payback on them? Well this is probably the best opportunity we're going to get today, but it would be a little easier with your help. Would you mind?"

"I could tell you were cooking up something interesting earlier, Darlin'. What did you have in mind?" I asked, curious as to how she could manipulate this situation into a revenge plot.

"I thought I would give Lauren and Jessica a taste of their own medicine. Since my little stunt in the bathroom and on the cross-country course worked out so well I wanted to put them in a similar position to what they told everyone they saw in the woods."

My eyebrows pulled together, questioning her reasoning. "Are you saying you want them to have sex as their punishment? I'm not sure that's an effective method to get your point across, though I'm sure I would find it a horrifying experience to be with either of those girls." I chuckled, trying to keep our discussion light. Bella and I were both keenly aware of how sex could be used in behavior modification even though we were consciously avoiding the subject for the time being.

With a small smile, she pushed her body into me harder. "Good to know, but that's not exactly what I meant. I want you to touch me and follow my lead, okay?" I quirked my eyebrow quizzically at "touch me", but I had a reasonable idea about what she had in mind.

Too curious to deny her anything anyway, I put my hands on her shoulders and she wrapped her arms around my waist to pull me even closer. Her head titled with just enough space to spare between us that I lost all sense of reason and focus, concentrating only on Bella's pouty lips as we came together in a tender kiss.

At first it was light, almost innocent as we slowly let our shared empathy join through the contact. Despite that small allowance, the ferocity came with a flourish a moment later. She moaned softly into my mouth, feeling the intensity rising as she immediately let me take control. I moved my hands up the back of her shirt, reflexively causing Bella to thrust her chest into mine. Pressing her breasts against me caused the most wonderful sensation between our bodies, making me aware of every fiber of clothing causing friction between us with hyper-precision.

I moved her knees apart slightly with my own and slowly ground my hip bone against her, adoring the mewling noises the action elicited. We continued our teasing of each other for several minutes. Our once innocent kiss had deepened to the point of being explosive despite the painstaking efforts we took to remain subdued. They had failed as had my desire to care.

As if the levy suddenly broke by some unknown cause, we were swept up in a flood of lust that had me briefly concerned considering how tempting the idea of ripping our clothes off was becoming. Even though we were in the school library Bella's hand skimmed the waistband of my pants, tugging gently on the loops before landing possessively on the button, I was about to agree to anything she had in mind when we heard a strange commotion in the room all around us.

There was a chorus of pleasurable groans and moans from every direction, mostly coming from the library we were in. However, with our supernatural hearing we were keenly aware of similar activity in the neighboring rooms as well. I pulled away from Bella in surprise about the current state of horniness of the people surrounding us, immediately noticing she wore a devilish smirk on her face that made me very suspicious. I was tempted to ask her what had just happened, but a startled choking sound coming from beyond the bookshelf hideout we had created stole all of my focus.

"Just what is going on here? Ms. Stanley, Ms. Mallory, Mr. Newton, get to the office immediately. What were you three thinking? Zip up your pants so you can walk faster, Michael," the stern voice said. That last comment caught the attention of the entire room all at once, recognizing the voice of the Vice-Principal scolding the dubious trio as he demanded their hasty exit from the library. Despite the urge to view the scene which had played out a few feet away, hearing Newton's pants were down had smothered my curiosity.

With the three victims of Bella's prank escorted from the room, my devious little genius skipped back to our incognito spot with a proud smile. Amused, horny, and highly entertained, I followed behind her, noting the two very nervous looking people occupying the table who were oblivious to our approach. With Edward staring at the ceiling and Angela blushing while looking at the floor like it might open up and swallow her, I barely suppressed a laugh at their expense. What exactly had happened there?

"What's going on?" I asked them both casually, pretending not to have any awareness that the almost-couple's emotions were the epitome of affection, confusion, and embarrassment. As curious as I was, I was hoping to find a reason for whatever strange phenomenon had set in around the library, not just with Lauren, Jessica, and Mike.

Angela quickly excused herself, claiming she urgently needed to find a particular book before rushing off, bumping into a few chairs due to her urgency. Bella looked very pleased in general, especially when Edward started squirming as her gaze rested on him intently. I waited for someone to include me in what was happening, already suspecting Bella was the culprit responsible based solely on her smug, satisfied emotions.

"What did you two do?" Edward accused with a guilty look on his face, avoiding any eye contact with us as he needlessly shuffled his books.

"Never mind what _we_ did, what did you two do?" Bella asked. Edward's embarrassment skyrocketed at Bella's comment and he finally looked up at us sitting across the table.

"I don't know what came over me… or Angela for that matter," he blurted, his eyes wide at his own admission. "She's usually so reserved and I wouldn't dream of doing… anything so forward, let alone with a girl I only became interested in a few hours ago. One minute she was explaining her research topic and I was making suggestions, and the next I wanted to pull her into my lap so it would be easier to kiss her. I really don't know how it started, but we had been kissing for a few minutes before my common sense and decency pulled me back into the realm of proper decorum."

Bella giggled and confirmed my suspicion completely. I asked her with a grin, "What _did_ you do, Kitten?"

"Hey now, Major, don't sell yourself short. I couldn't have done it without you." She started laughing harder just as a slightly disheveled Emmett barreled into the room with an obvious sense of urgency, searching the crowded library for our faces.

He had a silly smirk on his face and I could feel his abounding sense of amusement and anticipation as he practically plowed over some freshmen in an effort to make a bee-line for our table in the back. "You two are so much fun together," he said, slapping his giant hand down on my shoulder. "I don't know what you did, but I know I have felt that kind of _influence_ before… like in the woods, though it was on a smaller scale. You two set off a lust-bomb in every classroom on this side of the building. I just saw the smelly lunch lady kissing Coach Clapp. Friggin' hilarious."

I raised a curious eyebrow at Bella who looked utterly pleased. I was about to call her out on it, but Angela came back a second later. "Did you guys hear that Mike, Lauren, and Jessica just got suspended for three days? They were caught making-out right here in the middle of the library."

"Rosie and I have been caught doing worse, why would they get suspended for that?" Emmett asked, causing Angela to jump in surprise by his booming voice. It was clear she had not seen him when she ran over to deliver the latest gossip.

"Rumor has it that they removed some of their clothes and wouldn't stop even though the Vice-Principal was standing right there next to them," Angela explained. "I saw them in the hall and Lauren actually had the nerve to show him that picture she took of you three with her phone. She was trying to say that what they were doing wasn't as bad, and you all 'got away with it'," Angela paused to giggle, having trouble with her next words. "He told her that there was no way to determine if that occurred on school grounds and that she shouldn't be shooting… amateur pornography of unsuspecting people anyway." Her laughter had gotten the better of her by this point and Angela was forced to take a full minute before speaking again. "He said that it was a crime and since you're all minors it's even more severe. He told Lauren she was going to end up on a 'Sex Predator' list if she wasn't more careful with her shameless voyeurism."

We all laughed hysterically at that. Revenge had indeed been delivered, and no one was the wiser that Bella and I ignited the situation with an empathic cycle of lust. I knew she intended it to be retribution for Mike and the two sluts' nasty behavior towards us, but the passion between us was now undeniable, having impacted the rest of the student population with its intensity. Even with the best laid plans, her initial goal had been quickly forgotten as soon as we touched. Last period couldn't come fast enough because now more than ever I wanted to get her home as quickly as possible; if for nothing else but to kiss her without inciting a massive orgy in our wake.

**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews on this story as compensation. :)

Next Time: A Sleepover and some Show and Tell


	11. Rest in Peace

A/N: This one is fun and relatively short compared to the others simply because the next one, which this chapter was originally a part of, needed to stand on its own. FYI the alternate title to this chapter is "The Dangerous Game of Sexual Chicken", but I thought it was a bit too long. :)

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 11 – Rest in Peace*

Jasper's Point of View – After School

"Alright, Emmy, ready to take us to bed?" Bella joked excitedly, squeezing my hand tightly as we followed behind our brother up the steps to his bedroom on the second floor.

Emmett groaned at the imagery for a moment, but powered through the awkwardness to tease Bella right back. "I can't believe I'm about to say this to my favorite sister, but getting you and Jazz-man into bed with me has been on my mind all day." Feigning a wolfish grin, he opened the door to the room he shared with his wife and ushered us inside. Their little love-nest was a great place for our unusual endeavor, a cozy space you could just tell was designed for comfort over style due to the sheer volume of plush seats and pillows to be seen in every direction.

Bella swatted his arm playfully as she walked past, loving to involve my giant brother in her innocent games of flirtation. He was only too happy to engage her frisky side, finding her both unique and spirited. She was like a kindred soul to the jokester he was at heart. Watching them interact like that, I had to think it was because she truly knew he wasn't interested in her in a romantic way which made him her prime target. He was a safe person for her to joke around with, and she loved him all the more for it.

Plopping down on the side of the fluffy bed, Bella took me with her as she had yet to release my hand for even a moment since school ended. Not that I minded in the slightest, especially when that meant she had to sit in the back of the Jeep with me while Emmett chauffeured us home. As much as I wanted to use that opportunity to kiss her, it was a pleasure just to be next to her. Somehow she made everything look interesting. Even when she was simply sitting in Rosalie's carefully coordinated bedroom, I watched with unmitigated interest as the fingers of her unoccupied hand danced on the plush burgundy duvet. Tracing the seams of the comforter, she hadn't even noticed my shameless staring, too preoccupied with settling on her next quip in her relentless pursuit to see Emmett squirm.

Feeling her emotions give way from sweet and ambivalent to resolve the strength of steel, Bella let out the sexiest breath I had ever heard. It sounded like a cross between a gasp and a moan, making my hand clamp down possessively over hers, willing her not to escape just yet. With a tight squeeze for me in response, I felt a reassuring wave come from Bella before she broke our contact to better launch her next plan of attack against the Cullens' current resident prankster.

Sauntering over to stand in front of Emmett who was sitting on a bench seat at the foot of the bed taking off his shoes, Bella bit her lip demurely and dropped her voice down into a sultry tone that made me want to steal her away from the goodhearted brute. "It is rather hot in here, isn't it? I think much…much less clothing is in order, don't you?" she asked him sweetly. I bit back my growl when he smiled at her encouragingly. It wasn't his fault she stirred such strong covetous desires in me, at least that was what I kept telling myself since I could tell the devious little vixen was ramping up for a good one based on her current level of mischievousness.

"Now Emmy, don't you think you should change into something a little more comfortable," she said, letting her delicate fingers glide along the neckline of the forest green V-neck T-shirt she wore today. With a smirk, she cocked her head and her hip, the movement revealing a bit of creamy white skin just above the top of her dark low-rise jeans. She continued almost breathlessly, "Or perhaps… nothing at all?"

Emmett audibly gulped as Bella brought her hand to her collar and tugged on the edge, revealing more of her cleavage to my brother. Wanting to play along but nervous as to how I would react, he quickly glanced at me questioningly over his shoulder, waiting for my reaction while sending me his uncertainty. It was something I was fighting hard to keep reined in – my reaction. I hated the idea of being a jealous prick, especially with these two and their weird relationship, but this was brutally difficult for me to hear since my connection with Bella begged to be solidified.

Probably sensing my need to be included despite my best efforts to hide my envy from having her attention on him and not me, Bella tsked Emmett impishly, catching his eyes looking in my direction. "No need to worry about the Major, Em. I'll be undressing him myself in just a moment. I was just concerned for you, you see," she said, coyly glancing at me on the bed and Emmett on the bench through her thick, dark lashes. "Your shirt looks terribly expensive and I'd really hate to have to rip it off of you… unless that's what you like, of course. Lord knows I've already ruined half of the Major's shirts," she paused and placed a single fingertip on Emmett's shoulder. Tracing a line meant to symbolize where his shirt would likely rip from her promised efforts, Bella made her way lower and drawled out slowly, "And sadly almost all of the Major's pants have met a tragic end at my hands since I can be quite impatient when there's something I want. Oh, Em, I really hope that you're going commando or that will be another problem altogether?"

The now flummoxed vampire made a whimpered noise as Bella's fingernail moved unhurriedly down the front of his shirt. Nearing his stomach, I felt Emmett's panic overtake his love of competition once he realized she wasn't backing down. Sensing his sudden alarm, she laughed evilly, so convincing in her sexy talk that I was half persuaded to believe she meant every word of what she was saying to him.

Clearly believing her to be as unshaken as she seemed, Emmett was unaware of Bella's own escalating worry being projected towards me. Apparently her playmate was reacting much slower than she had clearly anticipated, causing things to get slightly out of hand now that she was practically near his navel and he hadn't pushed her away.

Just as she was about to give in to the overwhelming need to end her ruse, her growing discomfort the only reason I was able to stifle my envious reaction, Emmett jumped up from the bench and flashed across to the other side of the room as if she was going to chase after him. Looking scandalized, he cried, "Alright, I give, I give! You win! I'm never playing sexual chicken with you again, Bells. That was all types of weird for me." He even shivered, as if he'd gotten the chills from what she had been about to do, unaware of how close he'd actually been to winning.

I would never tell him that particular truth though, lest I give them a reason to try to outperform that tortuous display again. If I had the ability to go into cardiac arrest, Bella's stunt might have given me a heart attack. Especially if I hadn't had access to their actual feelings about the boundary-pushing behavior they had just inadvertently engaged in, I wouldn't have been able to hamper those instinctual drives which were making me want to murder one of the nicest vampires on the planet just for playing along.

Bella's palpable relief to have ended their game combined with her joy over the undisputed victory was only overshadowed by her uproarious laughter at Emmett's flustered countenance. Looking like an elephant scared of a tiny field mouse, my brother was practically climbing on the desk in the furthest corner of the room to get as far away from Bella as possible. Thinking along the same lines, she fell back to the bed beside me, clutching her sides as she watched Emmett in the corner of the room struggle to regain his composure.

As hard as it was not to be bitter about their playful exchange, knowing it was unnecessary to feel that way over something that was meant as harmless fun, I forgot all of my conflicted feelings the moment I noticed how beautiful Bella looked splayed out on the mattress with her gorgeous hair fanning out all around her. I wanted more than anything to lean down and kiss her, my eyes meeting hers as she must have felt my desire. She licked her lips, whether innocently or as a purposely provocative gesture of which I couldn't be sure. Just as I was about to give in to the temptation to indulge myself in the feel of her pouty lips pressed to mine, completely ignoring the fact that Emmett was now watching us intently from the corner, Edward suddenly came into the room and proceeded to lie down on the mattress beside us, completely oblivious.

I groaned and sat straight up, having subconsciously inched closer to my intended target during our intense moment. Bella, looking for a way to end the now awkward moment, interjected, "Oh yes, it is rather hot in here, isn't it?"

This seemed to relax Emmett who then came back to the bed, looking at Edward who was grinning strangely. After sitting up to look at our brothers, Bella almost immediately clapped her hands over her mouth and giggled at whatever Edward was thinking. "I'm very happy for you, Edward," Bella said cheerfully, kicking off her shoes to sit cross-legged on the bed facing him. I couldn't help but do the same.

Bella's enthusiasm was truly infectious without her needing to project it. It always seemed like things were brighter with her around, apparently a trait which could make an empath a hopeless devotee since that was certainly one way to classify my feelings for her.

"Whoa, look at that huge smile on Eddie's face. Don't tell me you left your V-card at school today like Eric Yorkie?" Emmett asked and burst into a fit of delirious laughter the moment the mind reader grumbled.

The fallout from the empathically-fueled lust-epidemic that swept over the school was significant. It left Eric Yorkie without his virginity, more than a few hooligans in detention due to lewd conduct, most of the student body content with the dates they had set up for the weekend, and three stupid bullies out of our way for a few days. By last period it was widely known that Eric Yorkie had gotten it on in a broom closet with some sophomore, effectively "making him a man". It was an assertion he kept boasting to anyone who would listen, but it had less shock value since it was quite an eventful day at Forks High for everyone in attendance.

"Don't worry, Edward, I'll handle this," Bella said comfortingly as she turned to glare at my boisterous brother. "Quit making fun of virgins, Emmett. We don't appreciate it. And if you tease either of us about it anymore I'll make sure to rough you up a little extra next time we wrestle."

Shock was all I could feel in the room. Bella was a virgin too. I had a hard time understanding how that was possible since she was so overtly sexual with everyone, especially with me even from our first encounter in the woods. I had to guess her sexy attitude was actually just something that came natural to her and had no tangible connection to her level of experience. Still, I was as surprised as my brothers by that massive bombshell.

"No way you're a virgin," Emmett yelled defiantly, clearly having fallen to the same misconception as me. "You're too much of a little hell-cat, Bells. I never would have guessed you were so _innocent_. Now Edward, on the other hand," Em said with a smirk, "Well, he has been a conscientious protector of his own virginity for a century now. I had assumed that sex would be the only thing that could lighten his loafers so much that he'd be smiling like he has been today. What's the deal, bro?"

"He invited Angela out on a date this Friday," Bella blurted while Edward looked like he wanted to hide his face, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as I absorbed his embarrassment and sent him some empathic comfort.

Edward exhaled deeply with a long dramatic sigh. "Yes, I did, but I have been a nervous wreck since gym, so could we please try the relaxation therapy or whatever you two wanted to attempt on us? I hope it works because I really could use it today."

"Sure thing," I said, looking at Bella to make sure she was ready to do what we discussed on the way home. "Since it's best for me and Bella to be touching for this to work, we are going to calm each other as if it was just the two of us here. Then we'll project it outwards and you guys just try to relax. I figure that if we were to lie down between you both then this would be even easier to maintain since we would have less distractions. Everybody ready?"

"Sounds good to me, bro, but try to remember that we're in the room with you both. I don't want you guys accidentally sending out another lust tsunami like you did earlier with just me and Edward here. That would not be a very good idea at all," Emmett complained as we all repositioned ourselves to make room for me and Bella in the middle of the extra-large King-size mattress Rosalie had specially ordered to contain my giant brute of a brother.

Once she and I were situated as closely as possible next to each other in the center of the bed, Emmett laid back down next to Bella. He stared at the ceiling for a moment looking perplexed before suddenly sitting straight up. He'd moved so rigidly it was as if he'd gotten an electrical zap in the ass courtesy of Kate Denali via Bella's power again, glaring at us with suspicion. "Wait just a sec, if Baby Bell's a virgin, how the hell did you two create such a powerful surge of lust? I figured you had a quickie behind the stacks, but obviously not."

I grumbled as I propped myself up on my elbows, "First of all, we only kissed and…"

"Dude, you mean to tell me you two had guys coming in their pants over the lust generated from just a kiss!" he exclaimed, plopping down again and staring at the ceiling with a wolfish grin as he navigated his imagination. "You better warn people when you two finally decide to do the deed then because that could get dangerous. Maybe even send out one of those Emergency Alert System notices to make sure people have a safety buddy and are indoors to prevent injury. The drug stores should probably be notified in advance to stock a surplus of condoms and lubric…"

Clearly ramping up, I interrupted Emmett's mockery as I lied back down next to Bella. "Alright, alright, Em, that's enough. And it wasn't something we planned. To be honest, I didn't really understand the entire thing until Bella explained it to me afterwards."

"Well, what happened then?" Edward asked uncomfortably before sitting back down on the edge of the bed near my legs. "I was thinking something along the same lines as Emmett actually," Edward admitted quietly before sheepishly glancing at Bella.

"While I being given a very extensive tour of the library from a wonderful guide, I caught some stray thoughts from the Vice-Principal wandering the halls fairly close by. I purposely projected a sense of worry to him specifically along with an image of books to give him a sense of intuition to go there," she explained innocently.

"That's how he had such impeccable timing to find the threesome the little minx instigated in the first place. The rest of it… well, that was just spillover because we got a little carried away," I admitted.

"I'll say. If I wasn't so fast getting the hell out of my classroom then those two girls that had me cornered would have gotten a handful of Little Emmett. You know Rosie would have murdered them if that had happened, and then we'd have to move of course. Such a hassle. As it was I had to employ some pretty evasive maneuvers to get out of there untouched and with my clothes intact." We all looked doubtful, making Emmett grumble. "Don't look at me like that. You guys weren't there. They were very aggressive."

"Sorry, bro," I said with a chuckle I barely tried to hide from the big pouting giant.

"Now that that's settled, let's give this a try," Bella said enthusiastically again before snuggling into my chest, our hands were already locked and resting on my stomach as she entwined her one leg with mine. Edward leaned back and rolled over on his side to face us, placing his hand on my unoccupied shoulder before shutting his eyes tightly. Emmett did the same, except he put his giant paw on Bella's head, causing her to smile while she struggled to keep her eyes shut tightly.

It seemed like everyone sighed at the same time, the moment Bella and I let the tranquility we felt from touching each other encapsulate us all. The stasis feeling that we reached the first time we tried this and then again earlier in the lunch room was nothing compared to the level of serenity we were able to generate while surrounded by our brothers. I truly felt like we were sleeping, as best as I could remember what it was like to sleep anyway. It actually seemed like we were only missing a few key elements that would make it possible to dream, the possibility of that otherwise unattainable fantasy tangible for the first time in my entire existence as a vampire. It was extraordinary and all thanks to Bella.

Just when we reached what felt like the precipice of achievable peace after what felt like hours, the silence of the room was broken by a light, mirth-filled chuckle. "I know the mattress salesman told me that bed was comfortable, but enough to put a vampire to sleep is a sales point I'm sure he hadn't considered."

"Rosie," Emmett said dreamily the moment he recognized her teasing voice. "My Rosie's back, you guys. Babe, come here and snuggle up to me. You'll love this," Emmett said lazily, urging Rosalie over without opening his eyes. "It's amazing."

I considered the possibility that Emmett really thought he was dreaming that his wife had returned. Having opened only one eye to watch Rosalie in the doorway, I noticed the rest of my bedmates had barely flinched from her presence. Although with two mind readers in the mix, it certainly seemed possible they were aware she was there without needing to see for themselves. Still, it was interesting to see Bella so unguarded.

After Emmett seemed to doze off slightly again, Rose looked confused but ultimately the novelty of the situation won out over whatever reluctance she seemed to have in joining us. She was probably remembering the trauma of her human life due to the way her husband had waved her over so casually, unsure of the circumstances behind our unusual behavior. I saw the hesitation in her resolve when she noticed Bella hugging me so tightly, a calm smile on her face. Without needing to be told twice, Rosalie shrugged off her jacket, kicked off her designer boots, and snuggled up behind Emmett as closely as she could get.

The resulting mood change from my sister's involvement was not something I had anticipated. As soon as Rosalie began to relax with the rest of us, Emmett made what could only be defined as a sound of complete contentment at the touch of his mate. I realized that with Emmett feeling a state of supreme surrender with the security he felt from having Rosalie next to him, we were able to fall even deeper under the spell. It was nothing less than incredible, promising even more comfort if we could just give Edward the same feeling of completeness in the future.

I knew some time had passed even though I had no concept of how much due to the blissful calm in the room. Despite the intense tranquility, I had suddenly become aware that we were being watched. The Major was instantly on guard to protect my "sleeping" family, although I knew to some degree that the intruder did not warrant my panic. Whoever was near meant no harm, their emotions as calm as the rest of us in the bed.

I wiggled my arm free from Bella and sat up slightly to better assess the situation, finding Carlisle and Esme standing in the doorway with huge smiles on their faces. Their bewilderment was evident by the short distance between their eyebrows and their hairline, watching what must have been an amazing sight. "I never thought I'd see the day I would come home from work and find my children napping. This is truly surreal," Carlisle said with a smile.

With the conduit now broken between me and Bella, everyone started slowly pulling out of their haze, each sitting up with the realization that the "sleep clinic" had been a triumphant success. Taking in the slightly disoriented vampires in the bedroom, Esme asked curiously, "How exactly did you accomplish something like this, Jasper?"

"Earlier today Bella and I held hands and relaxed each other to the point we appeared to have momentarily fallen asleep. Figuring we could project it, Emmett asked to give it a try so we invited Edward to participate too. Bella and I were able to project our relaxation and deepen it to the point it almost mimicked sleep. Then Rosalie came home unexpectedly and joined us for the past… Actually I have no idea what time it is now so I'm not sure how long we kept that up."

Emmett laughed, "Dude, I suppose it worked really well since its dark now and we started right after we got home from school." With a bit of shock, I glanced out the window to see the darkened night-time sky. It was the first time in my life as a vampire I had not been "awake". It was both such an unsettling and momentous occasion that I would have to decide how I felt about it later, the implications leaving me staggered.

"You have been doing this for almost four hours then, Son," Carlisle said incredulously. "That is simply incredible. Though I would like to humbly request that Esme and I be invited to the next slumber party, if that would be okay."

"Sure thing, Dad," Bella said, surprising me with her chipper tone. Fully alert and looking more contented than I'd ever seen her, she scooted off the bed to give Esme and Carlisle a hug. That had become her customary greeting for both of them when she hadn't seen them for some time. They relished in her embrace, knowing what it meant to have someone like her so at ease with them.

"I would like to formally meet my new sister now, Emmett, so kindly untangle me from your meat-hooks so I can say hello," Rosalie said with her normal tone of annoyance from her spot on the bed. Her emotions were anything but bothered, however. In fact, Rosalie was feeling light-hearted and slightly giddy, which were very different emotions than her usually contemptuous vibe.

"I am so happy to meet you, Rosalie. Emmett has told me so much about you, and from what I could gather from everyone else I can already tell we are going to get along very well," Bella said sweetly, but kept herself at a distance while edging just behind me.

Rosalie's amusement began to taper off as she took in Bella's demeanor, her words and coupled with her subdued body language; my ultra-observant sister seemed to fit the pieces of the puzzle together very quickly. I felt a rising sense of compassion and understanding sweep over Rosalie, something I couldn't quite comprehend.

Her smile became as comforting and genuine as I had ever seen it as she glided over to Bella and pulled her into a tight hug. Bella, privy to Rosalie's thoughts, embraced her with just as much fervor, trying to heal each other even though they hadn't shared anything more than a few pleasant words. Bella was truly amazing to have softened my hard-edged "twin" to that degree so quickly.

Carlisle shared a look with me that conveyed his warm sentiments about the most recent developments in the household. He looked over at his two daughters, and then specifically at Bella with a quick glance to me. He tilted his head towards the door, signaling me to remove the enigmatic new Cullen from the room so he could inform Rosalie of all that she had missed on her impromptu Beverly Hills shopping expedition with Alice.

I nodded and put my hand on Bella's shoulder to break up their embrace, savoring even the slightest contact I had with her. "Darlin', perhaps you and I can take a walk so Rosalie can have some time alone with Emmett."

"Sure thing, Cowboy," Bella said, reaching for my hand while waving goodbye to Rose. "Can't wait to hear all about your trip later, Rosalie."

"Yeah, that sounds great, but please call me Rose instead. Later we'll have a little girl time and you can fill me in on everything that happened today," Rosalie responded gratefully. "It sounded… very interesting."

"You don't know the half of it, Rosie," Em added, hugging his wife from behind.

"Before you both leave, Jasper and Bella, be extra vigilante in regards to the wolves while you're out. I am unsure of the reason, but Sam Uley has insisted on an emergency meeting with me at 11 pm tonight in the clearing we usually use for our baseball games."

"That is interesting," I said, thinking over the peculiarities of their sudden interest in seeing us. "I was actually going to mention it to you later anyway, but there was a heavy concentration of werewolf stench around the school today. I thought it was just happenstance at the time, but combined with the sudden need to have a meeting with us I think that this is a bit too coincidental to be unrelated. I wonder what the problem is and how it relates to the school," I said thoughtfully. I couldn't imagine what had the wolves so uptight that they needed an emergency meeting with us considering they usually tried to pretend those of us of the golden-eyed variety didn't exist.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind checking out the wolves with you, Dad. It's been a while," Emmett said, eager for some conflict with the overgrown puppies.

"Yes, well, Sam said not to bring more than two extra people with me. Apparently the presence of the entire family would be seen as an act of aggression even though he will likely bring most of the pack with him for intimidation purposes," Carlisle commented ruefully. "So, if Jasper and Bella agree, I would like them to be the ones to accompany me. Could you both be back by 10:45 at the latest?"

Carlisle didn't really need to ask, but we both nodded indulgently and turned to exit again when we were stopped by my sister's sudden protestation. "Wait, why should Bella have to go? I understand Jasper, of course, but shouldn't you take Emmett or Edward with you instead of her? I mean, it's not like I want anyone in danger, but Bella shouldn't be the one to go. She only just got here and has no connection to the wolves or the treaty at all," Rosalie argued. Bella smiled and I felt a burst of love and gratitude from her for my sister's thoughtfulness.

"Rosie, there are some things you need to know. Especially with Jasper being there, Belly Bear is a better choice to go for several reasons which we can explain to you privately." Emmett finished his statement with a reassuring hug for his wife, pulling her securely into his arms. Bella shook her head to confirm Emmett's statement, knowing it wouldn't be long before Rosalie understood exactly why she was the one Carlisle requested.

"We'll be back soon," I said over my shoulder as I rushed Bella out of the room. I didn't want to risk Rosalie accidentally offending Bella or making her uncomfortable by questioning Carlisle's decision any further. I had Bella almost through the door and into the hallway when she suddenly whipped around, easily out-maneuvering my grasp. She zoomed back into the room and grabbed Edward's hand, causing a sudden flare up of jealousy being stoked within me. I stamped it out just as quickly as it had ignited, hating that I didn't have a handle on myself when it came to her.

"Don't worry, Major, I'm coming with you. I just need to talk to Edward real quick," Bella said reassuringly in response to my emotional outburst at the sight of her touching my brother, who despite his best efforts was still radiating a small amount of lust for her. "I heard what you were just thinking, Edward. How can you believe that I forgot my promise to you? We can go to that meadow after school tomorrow, okay? I mean, we kind of overslept, right?"

With a wry smile, the mind-reader replied, "Thanks, Bella. I just have a few things I thought we could discuss before this weekend… you know?" Edward said meekly and Bella nodded affirmatively, having what must have been at least a partially telepathic conversation.

"Wait, what's happening this weekend?" Rosalie asked, sounding insulted, as if she had been purposely left out.

Bella's eyes twinkled, but she didn't answer. She simply left Edward's grasp and returned to my side, claiming my hand in hers once again. She tugged me towards the door and giggled while pulling me out of the room. I could feel her burst with levity as we ran down the steps. "This weekend is Edward's date with Angela Weber," she shouted over her shoulder, leaving her announcement hanging in the air like a time bomb as we escaped through the back door. There was only a small pause before an eruption of exasperated gasps from Esme, Carlisle, and Rosalie could be heard in our wake. With a little more mischief made, Bella and I gleefully ran towards the forest together, laughing the entire way.

. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**A/N:** Rose had a brief out of character girly moment there, huh? Didn't expect her to hug Bella right away? There's a reason for that, but Rose will be back to normal soon enough.

Poor jealous Jasper! And he's trying so hard to behave himself too. I hope Bella doesn't start talking about any ex-boyfriends in the next chapter. Oh wait a second, that's exactly what she's going to do. Excited?

The next one is a really significant and I hope to have it up tomorrow night for your reading pleasure. I am busy re-reading it for what must be the hundredth time, so I apologize for not replying to anyone who has reviewed. It really doesn't mean that your comments went unappreciated just because I stink at responding. I truly cherish each one. Keep'em coming please!

I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews as compensation. :)


	12. A Moonlight Sonata

A/N: Sorry about the slow update. Real life got a little dark there for a minute and I was having a hell of a time with regular things, not at all an environment conducive to writing. I apologize. Don't fret because I cannot foresee another update outage in the future. Though to be honest, I didn't expect all of this commotion either. I also decided to change something relatively small in this chapter, and apparently the adage is true that if you begin to pull at a thread the whole thing can unravel. I ended up doing a complete rewrite. I am still not 100% happy with it, but I didn't want to wait any longer. I think I'm getting a little obsessive about each and every word so it's definitely time to post this and save my mental health.

*Warning*- This chapter contains implied torture. Heads up if that bothers you, though I don't know how you could have gotten to this chapter of _this_ story if that irked you too much. And Jasper has a bit of an _out of body experience_ towards the end of the chapter. It will hopefully make sense when you get there *fingers crossed*. Let me know if you're confused.

**Il Demone Bellissima**

*Chapter 12 – A Moonlight Sonata*

Jasper's Point of View

.*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*.

With a tiny plop the smooth pebble dropped beneath the surface of the water, sinking into the center of the ripples it created on its journey to the murky riverbed. Skipping rocks had been something I always enjoyed. The simplicity made me feel childish even after I had lost any semblance of innocence from living such a savage existence. I wasn't sure but I liked to think my muscles remembered this activity from my human life even if my brain couldn't. I liked to imagine myself as a child, silently skipping stones and enjoying the uncomplicated world around me. That was just an intangible memory now, familiar but forgotten.

Although I had always enjoyed the simple game without truly knowing why, since Bella's addition to the family it had taken on another meaning entirely. This had quickly developed into an activity only we shared. After indulging in our meals side-by-side, Bella and I would automatically gravitate to this spot, the part of the river where we first kissed. Sometimes one of us would ask a question or exchange some pleasantries, but mostly we would bask in the joy of our mellow post-hunt vibe. We simply sat there on the river bank, quietly appreciating the tranquility which always came from being together while we skipped stones in an unspoken competition to see whose would go farther.

The time we spent alone here had easily become the best part of my day. Aside from being the empathic equivalent of a tranquilizer, it selfishly meant I had Bella all to myself for just a little while longer. The family tended to usurp her attention when we were all home, each one of them clamoring to get to know the newest and most entertaining member of our coven. I understood their fascination, of course, but that didn't change the possessive instinct I was forced to beat back every time she left my presence to play silly games with Emmett, or to endlessly debate Edward on all things philosophical.

That was another reason I made sure to incorporate something special that was just for us into our regular hunting regimen. Although she didn't crave human blood the way average vampires did, it was very difficult for Bella to extinguish the fire in her throat enough to feel any measurable relief. Besides being a newborn with an already increased appetite, Carlisle assumed her endless thirst was related to the sheer volume of powerful gifts she commanded at will. They never seemed to fully subside, which was nothing short of incredible since she could call upon any one of them in the fraction of a second if need be.

Just as with everything else in her life, Bella had simply been dealing with it since her change. Never once had she complained, choosing instead to suffer in silence rather than bothering to mention to anyone her issues with insatiability. It wasn't until I relayed what I knew to Carlisle, Bella's emotions giving off a near constant state of longing for nourishment, that we both demanded she stop self-sacrificing and take better care of herself.

After each venture out to find her sustenance, it was becoming more difficult for me not to feel like a rotten bastard for being grateful Bella needed to hunt so much. She was practically in distress throughout the day, her thirst painfully unquenchable, and yet I was thankful for each and every outing. Being a necessary requisite for her and a perverse delight for me, I relished in the fact I was the only one able to accompany Bella without provoking any territorial behavior on her part. That meant she was all mine out here in the wilderness, a place free of anything other than the two of us.

Besides my selfish inclinations, I enjoyed hunting with Bella for many other reasons too. It was nothing short of exhilarating to witness her in action. Her natural playfulness fluidly switched with her lethal prowess in such quick exchanges while she stalked her quarry that you didn't need to be an empath to syphon excitement from the experience. And as amazing as that was, it was what always happened afterwards that really captivated me so completely.

Each time we came together in our spot, both full and contented while quietly poised on the river's edge, the energy created by our close proximity seemed to ignite something deep within me. So many great revelations occurred to me in those times, a torrent of crystalizing moments so profound that each epiphany left my mind ablaze from over-stimulation. It took hours after we'd returned home to decipher everything, time Bella spent frolicking about with my brothers while I was still left pondering what all of this could possibly mean.

It wasn't solely thoughts of me and her, of my existence, or my past indiscretions that occupied my mind. Everything seemed to matter more now. The world had suddenly become a much more vibrant place, as if I'd been exposed to a new color within the spectrum which my vision simply hadn't conceived before I'd met her. It was baffling and obviously significant. Yet as tumultuous as it made me feel, I felt a sense of inner peace that I enjoyed far too much to dwell on the complex reasons behind it.

It was taking all of my carefully cultivated self-discipline not to make a damn fool of myself in front of her, feeling awkward and almost juvenile in her presence. The undeniable fact that Bella was so uniquely important seemed to rattle my confidence, preventing me from trying to continue what was started earlier in the day. Never having experienced nervousness around women to this extent, I chuckled darkly at my own expense. Luckily the sound of my mirth was masked by the soft tone of the babbling water below our feet or I might have tried to hide under the rock we were sitting on.

If Bella had heard me, she didn't let on. Instead she continued to stare up at the moon underneath an impressively clear sky by Forks' standards, looking like she was humming a happy tune in her head. Dangling her legs lazily over the edge of the boulder, Bella's shorter frame kept her bare feet from the mossy rocks on the bottom where I had settled in. I nervously began to toy with a slippery stone between my toes, watching the shallow water lick at her soles so lightly I imagined it had to tickle. I ached to caress her in just such a manner. It wasn't until I felt the rock I'd been playing with explode under my foot that I realized the intensity I'd been fixating on something as benign as the glide of water against her skin. I really was a damn fool for the girl. It was only fair that she knew it too.

I tossed another stone across the gentle current the same time as Bella, mine going only minutely further than hers. I smirked. "Don't look so smug, Major. Mine had way more style. I got at least three extra hops that time," Bella said, bumping my shoulder with hers.

We pitched several more stones across the water after that, far more competitive now that she'd teased me. She giggled at her victory, our pile of stones depleted with her ahead. The scene turned quiet again as we fell into a companionable silence I knew Bella was perfectly content to continue in until we needed to return home. Guilt crept up on me then. The setting was soundless in a way that made my soul feel at peace, but I had so much I wanted – that I needed - to say to her that I knew there was no alternative to destroying the calm surrounding us with a conversation I was dreading.

I took a deep breath and stared at the remarkable woman beside me, contemplating how to proceed. Whether she became aware of my intentions through my emotions, it was obvious she caught me ogling her by the slight twitch of her lip. With the impeccable grace of a fumbling teenaged boy, I even tried hiding my efforts by innocently looking in the direction of the sky above her head, mentally laughing at myself and feeling effeminate for my suddenly coy behavior.

While I hadn't anticipated finding the desire to expose my past to her tonight, the moment seemed well-suited to honesty and openness. Finding some courage to continue with my impromptu plan, I remarked with a surprising amount of conviction, "Sweetheart, I'm hoping that you'll understand why I'm about to ruin this perfectly nice evening by sharing something awful with you. I think that if we continue with the way things seem to inevitably be headed between us, you need to know what you're getting into that could potentially change your mind. There are certain things about me which I cannot change and I care too much about you to let you invest any more of yourself in me if there's something so fundamental about me that you can't handle."

Oddly enough Bella seemed pleased by my proposition, nodding her head as if to convince me to continue. I savored her sweet smile while she still held me in high enough regard to receive it, convinced it wouldn't grace her face for much longer considering what I was about to do. Even though she had pressed herself against my naked body in the shower after Edward acted foolish her first night in the house, I wanted Bella to have a better look at what she was getting into. I just needed to decide on the precise words to use, knowing they could make all the difference in getting her to understand this horrible part of me.

"I know who you are and what you've done. I also know you are a good person," she said quickly when I was about to argue. "I promise you, nothing you could say or do is going to change my mind."

I had my doubts, but gave her a small nod and half-hearted smile before standing in front of her in the shallow water of the riverbank. Using every ounce of my resolve to follow through with something I had never done in such a deliberate manner before, I began undoing the top button of my shirt and slowly moved my hands lower, opening myself up to Bella completely.

Shrugging my shirt off my shoulders, I threw it towards the dry ground near the tree line and quietly stood before her waiting to be judged for the crimes of my past. I knew with her superior sight that she wouldn't require anything more than the bright white moonlight in the relatively clear sky to see the part of me I always kept hidden from the world. With my arms falling to my sides and my eyes locked firmly on the ground, I let her take in whatever she chose. That way she wouldn't feel pressured, maintaining the option to look away if she deemed my scars too much.

Standing there under her rapt appraisal, I waited for her response for several grueling minutes while her face remained hard as stone, her emotions a fortress of inaccessibility. I decided that even a negative reaction would have been preferable to Bella's stoicism. I was about to surrender to the awkwardness and possibly crawl under that rock for real when her face began to morph before my eyes, a feral mask incrementally replacing her blank visage.

It was as if she was memorizing every visible inch of me, panting slightly as her eyes frantically darted about my bare stomach, chest, and arms. Her unnecessary breathing began increasing with each passing second as if preparing to speak but choking on the words. I closed my eyes to better deal with her reaction, fighting with enormous difficulty to stifle a growl of frustration with the marred canvas of my skin. It was still putting up roadblocks for me, especially now that it was standing in the way of something I wanted so badly.

I had never hated my past as much as I did standing there like a damn fool waiting for Bella to stamp "Rejected" on my forehead. Knowing it was coming, I braced myself for the ensuing hurt that would come from being deemed a hopeless travesty by the most forgiving and selfless creature I had ever met. A pained growl erupted, starting lowly before gaining momentum as it reverberated through the air in this place that moments ago could only have been described as serene. The dynamic terrain allowed the acoustics to create a symphony of anger which I only just realized was being produced by someone else.

The unbridled sound was so strikingly similar to the soundtrack of my own emotional pain that it resonated succinctly as if it was of my creation. The fiery tenor in the noise perfectly matched the inferno I had buried deep within me. It was, in fact, Bella who was emitting the sound befitting a battle cry as she shook with fury, scrutinizing my scars while projecting nothing but adoration for me. I had certainly not expected that reaction, but as with most things where Bella was concerned she was never predictable. The crescendo-like roar that finally escaped her lips after the steady climb demonstrated just that - ferocity and fervor.

Our eyes connected then and her extraordinary growling subsided almost immediately. We stayed locked in that position until she once again allowed her gaze to shift over the expanse of my skin visible to her. Under the moonlight on a night like this, the scarring seemed to glow. It was slightly lighter than the rest of my already pale skin. I couldn't help but feel embarrassed as she assessed my damaged features, taking meticulous inventory for reasons I couldn't understand. The woman was a baffling enigma to me and I just couldn't get enough no matter how much it might hurt.

I broke the silence with my shaky voice, hating the way I sounded like I was pleading no matter how hard I tried to stop it. "I know you are aware of my past through the most basic measures the Volturi might use to quantify my crimes, but seeing the evidence for yourself is far different, I'm sure." I paused to take a breath. Though unnecessary, it was quite soothing to channel my turmoil outward in such a way. "I understand if this is too much for you to deal with since it is a constant reminder of a time in my life that I wish I could forget, with the exception of finding true family in Peter and Charlotte." I spoke slowly, having to force my next words which were reluctant to leave my mouth. "This is me, one of the worst parts of me, and I need to know what you think… knowing who I really am underneath. Can you accept me _this_ way?"

With no words or time to spare, Bella tackled me with such force I gasped from the hit as my back landed in the shallow water of the river bend. With her legs straddling my waist, she frantically began to lavish me in a flurry of kisses, licks, and nibbles against my bare chest. "Oh Major," she groaned as I shivered, her lips lingering on a particularly sensitive spot near my collarbone. "I'll protect you…" she said reverently in my ear, "You'll never hurt again… You're so amazing… and strong… so beautiful…," she trailed off, her words spoken between the tokens of affection she bestowed upon my neck before kissing her way down my chest. Every nerve-ending she came in contact with, each spot her soft lips kissed or her sharp nails scraped across my skin, was burning with wild electricity in the wake of her touch. With her healing sentiments surrounding me as profoundly as her loving arms, the moment became intrinsic beyond any other in my long life.

As if trying to inhale as much of my scent into her lungs as possible, her breasts were heaving. Gulping the air in quick pants, she hurriedly lifted her lips to move to another spot like she couldn't decide where to kiss next. Whether intentional or not, her erratic actions were creating a tantalizing friction between us that was making me unable to think straight. I tilted my head down to better look at her wriggling above me, watching her tongue flick out of her mouth as she traversed the planes of my chest, holding me captive underneath her.

Passionate and playful now, having palpably calmed down from touching me, Bella began to tease instead. Her kittenish behavior was on full display as she grazed my nipple several times, purposely shying away from any direct contact in some kind of torturous game just to make me gasp. And though it was making my body hum with the need for more, I had no choice but to endure it, to remain still beneath her, seemingly only capable of moaning in response.

Letting my head fall back into the shallow water, I was awash in sensory overload. Her ministrations didn't cease while she waited for my brain to catch up. Her grinding body atop mine set a vigorous rhythm by the time I had enough physical awareness to place my hands on her hips and pull her harder against me. With a triumphant moan that I was now actively participating, Bella's nails tauntingly scraped my skin as she made a show of moving from my collarbone slowly to my stomach. Just like earlier in the day, she teased the top of my jeans with her fingertips, not really venturing past the fabric but skimming the crux between the material and my skin to a point that caused a low growl from deep within my chest. It was as if she was waiting for permission, teetering between being aggressive in getting her needs met and sheepish in execution at the exact same time.

"That feels so good, Darlin'," I encouraged, moaning again before she came up to press her lips to mine, still seemingly unsure how she should proceed. After a smothering kiss that would have killed a human, her wet center was positioned so perfectly above my cock that the next undulation of her hips made me utter in desperation, "Oh, yes, please… oh fuck…"

"You?" she sighed breathily. "Yeah, that was my plan, Major, but… I've never done this before so I'm a little nervous." Slightly embarrassed, she pulled back to look at my bemused expression. I appreciated that she didn't try to wiggle free of my grasp any further since I would have gladly kept an indefinite hold on her if only she'd let me.

Shaking my head, I said firmly, "No… no, we can't do that." Feeling a wave of dejection overcome Bella a second later, I clarified pointedly, "Wait, Darlin', don't get upset. That's not what I meant exactly… I mean, of course I want to and we definitely will, but your first time shouldn't be in the mud." My normal ability to articulate myself had apparently fled to parts unknown. My only hope now was that I hadn't stumbled on my words too badly or upset her inadvertently with my poor phrasing.

Thankfully she smiled at me and I took that as an open invitation to express myself non-verbally since I clearly wasn't doing well with speaking at the moment. Deciding on a simpler course of action, I put my hands behind her head, interweaving my fingers through her hair to effortlessly guide her sinful mouth back to mine.

After a few minutes of exploring different kisses, some slow and passionate and some more akin to sexy biting, Bella was the one to pull back. "How can you kiss me like that?" she whined in a breathless moan. "Why oh why do you keep making me stop when I want you so badly?" Purposely rocking her body into my crotch again, Bella challenged, "I can feel how much you want me, I even heard the extremely erotic things you've been thinking about me all day and I'm all for it – all of it. I am fairly certain that having sex with you will be one of the best things I will ever experience in my life. Starting that as soon as possible will only give me more of my eternity to do just that. Why wait?"

I was astonished by her tone, sounding almost desperate and angry all at once. Fixating on her words, I rushed to explain, "I want you too, for as long as you'll have me, just not when we have an appointment with a pack of vampire-hating werewolves in a little while." Keeping my tone soft, I willed her to understand, "But don't worry. Since I know you truly feel this way even after what I showed you, I plan on making love to you very soon and for a very, very long time."

She beamed at me, her relief palpable. "Thank goodness. I can't wait much longer," she said, kneeling above me, hovering just out of reach as to not test our resolve. "The sexual tension between us is going to end up killing one of the otherwise healthy teenagers at school," she said with a laugh before looking at me, confused. "And why do I feel your nervousness creeping up again, Major?"

"Well, honestly, I was going to ask you to show me yours since I showed you mine," I said playfully, gesturing with my chin to my unclothed torso. I had hoped the innuendo disarmed her slightly since what I was asking for could be considered crossing the line, her scars being much more recent than my own.

Gracefully rising to her feet, she stood above me as I pushed up onto my elbows. I was staring so dedicatedly at the way her jeans were clinging to her body, dripping wet from tackling me in the water that I almost missed her slow head nod in response. "Yes," she said, her shaky voice sounding unsure but resigned. "I can do that, but only because it's you asking. I had wanted to show _you_ anyway." She moved several steps away, looking everywhere but me. "Besides, I think it will be good for me since I want to behave as if they aren't there at all. It would be nice if I could try doing that, especially with you. You have to know that time might be able to heal those wounds, but for now things are…"

"Too fresh? Yeah, I can understand that, and you shouldn't feel obligated in any way to reciprocate if you aren't up to it yet. I wouldn't want to force you by any means," I explained, feeling like shit for even bringing it up. I was just nervous that the more time which went by without revealing that hidden part of ourselves, the more we might build it up in our minds. I knew it was true of my own scars; my relief at having them out in the open so freeing that I wanted Bella to share in that experience with me.

Without another word, she turned away from me and started moving towards the boulder on the riverbank where we'd left our shoes. I was stunned still for a moment, left laying shirtless in the churning muddy water as she walked away, seemingly having changed her mind. Convinced she was leaving, depressed over my request, I mentally slapped myself for the epic failure of my well-intentioned show-and-tell session.

Reeling over my faux pas, I leapt to my feet. So distracted by my plans to chase her and beg her forgiveness, I hadn't noticed her movements towards the hem of her shirt until it was already over her head and discarded on the rock where we previously sat skipping rocks. I stopped moving towards her, shocked with her boldness as she then hastily removed her bra and threw it aside as well. In all reality, I shouldn't have been too surprised by this brazen behavior. It was just Bella proving yet again that she was completely unpredictable.

With her torso now bare, her wavy brown tresses were the only thing left covering her back down to her luscious ass, blocking my view of the intended subject but providing another extraordinary sight entirely. As if on cue, Bella let out one last laborious sigh and reached up to run her fingers through her scalp towards the base of her neck. She gathered her thick, long locks in one hand and unceremoniously pushed the collection over her left shoulder, revealing the source of her shame to me for the first time.

I was rendered speechless once more, completely and utterly speechless as my eyes became transfixed on a horror I had never witnessed before in all my years. The way her back had been damaged was just about as brutal as one being could be to another. Although I had seen scary, degrading, painful things inflicted on others while in Maria's Army, the extent of torture on Bella's back told a tale of something far worse – chronic and purposeful pain infliction.

By the differences in the depths of the marks, her back almost looked like that of a burn victim, a similar texture in places where the scarring was thick and smooth with an almost glazed over appearance. The most noticeable exception of this was an intricate overlaid crisscrossing pattern concentrated on her shoulder blades. The configuration appeared to be artfully interwoven with other deep gashes in what I could only describe as a tapestry of pain and anguish crafted by the hands of that sadistic son-of-a-bitch Caius.

Even with my heightened eyesight, I hadn't fully recognized what I was seeing in the dim light until the scene brightened. The moon, which had been temporarily obscured behind one of the only clouds hanging in the night sky, was able to illuminate Bella so perfectly it looked like the heavens created a spotlight specifically for her. The resulting light shone radiantly, contrasting the darkness which surrounded us by making the blacks even inkier in comparison to her pale form. Cascading across her snow white skin, the shimmer from the single beam amplified the scars on her back to a divine ivory and silver sheen.

It was only after my mind broke free of the powerful imagery the ethereal effect of Bella's body glistening in the moonlight created that a sight was revealed that I could not have conceived in the darkest depths of my vivid imagination. I knew what I was seeing now, but all plausible explanations failed to encompass everything I was thinking in that single revelatory moment. She had been given wings, the crisscross pattern of her scars creating a dramatic effect. She appeared to have a plethora of thick downy feathers almost pure white from their depth and quantity along the length of her back. It was ironic, but if she had wanted this done as some kind of artistic expression I would have thought the design to be quite beautiful - exquisite even in the detail. However, knowing that she had not elected to be marked in this way, that it was done under the most horrible kind of duress, I knew it to be a deliberate act of sardonic levity considering the design which adorned her skin. It was clear that Caius had done it to amuse some deviant whim of his. Why else would he give her angel wings knowing she couldn't use them to fly away from the hell he'd created for her?

It was as if the Devil himself had taken an artistic interest in her. Creating a brilliant but sadistic bas relief comprised of repeated scarring which served to raise the skin above the rest of her smooth marble-like body. The repetition of the damage added dimension and texture to his "-scape". In fact, Bella had been so carefully and strategically marked that she looked practically drawn upon. Having used his whips and other torture devices as his medium, I tampered down my mounting rage as best I could while looking at something so beautiful and so undeniably terrifying.

Caius's depravity was undeniable. Poor Bella had to endure so much pain and suffering just to serve as his canvas. As soon as I thought it, I realized my error. It was impossible, evident in the detail, that she was simply an expression of ordinary artistic vision to him. She was not one of many. As with everything else, she was of singular uniqueness. The twisted care he took and the depths he reached in destroying her made Bella a true masterpiece of his cruelty – his magnum opus.

Sadness, despair, and worst of all, shame tore through me as Bella suddenly projected her feelings outward. Her back was still to me as if she was too afraid to look at my face. I moved closer, barely resisting the urge to reach out a hand to touch her as she had done in the face of my own pain. Somehow I didn't think she would appreciate that just yet. I firmly intended to do just that as soon as she would let me though. In that moment I swore an oath to God on the side of that river; I would make it my mission to heal her or die trying. She deserved nothing less from me.

"Darlin'," I spoke softly, not trusting my voice to refrain from cracking under the weight of what I'd just vowed. Bella's pain was soul-crushing, the parts of her broken mind were screaming out to me for help and I had no choice but to let my heart guide me to find my words. "I'm so sorry that this happened to you. I can feel how worthless you think yourself to be over this, but you're wrong to think that way. You are beautiful and always will be – scars and all." I waded closer through the ankle deep water with each sentence, removing the space separating us in a few short strides.

Her shoulders sagged as she spoke, her voice a weak whisper. "I wish I could erase them… maybe just forget they're there. I have to be careful or people will ask me questions that I can't answer… I hate that I can't be as flawless as the rest of the Cullens, but I am this thing… this marked thing left to carry around the proof of what happened to me for eternity. I'm… I'm just so sorry I can't be beautiful like you deserve." She breathed out her reply, words which hit me hard despite the softly spoken way she delivered them.

"You _are_ beautiful," I said sincerely, focusing all my energy into conveying my sentiments with both my empathy and my voice as I moved closer. Now, almost touching, I leaned in towards her ear, feeling the energy building between us again from being so close. "Those scars on your back tell me so much about you, and none of it makes me care for you less or look at you differently. Open yourself up to me. Please _feel_ me," I beseeched her.

Needing her to recognize not only my sincerity but my unchanged desire for her, I firmly pressed my chest into her back. Wrapping my arm all the way around her tiny waist, I let my hand rest on her hip, pulling her closer to place my hand over her silent heart. Careful to avoid touching her bare breast directly so she didn't misunderstand my noble intentions for the moment, I sighed deeply against the exposed skin of her neck. "I have never been more attracted to another person in my entire existence and that is including this moment where I can see your scars and feel your pain. To me, you are… hope and love and beauty and… this, whatever is happening between us, means the world to me. I am not trying to pressure you, but you shouldn't feel self-conscious in front of me anymore and I promise I will do the same for you."

"I think you're the only person I have ever felt completely comfortable with looking at me like this. I'm not sure what that means, but this isn't as difficult as it's been in the past with the others that have seen them," she said, placing her hand on top of mine, clasping her fingers to hold me there above the place where her heart used to beat. Her other hand, I noticed, was resting on the necklace I'd given her, clutching it like a tether as she moved it back and forth along the chain.

I pressed a single, gentle kiss into the crook of her neck, holding her securely in my arms as we stood there shirtless, processing whatever had just shifted between us. Everything had been so tightly wound and compressed into that one defining moment that I felt we had just overcome a huge obstacle that had been standing in our way. It was a wonderful moment that I knew I would cherish forever, so it figured that I would ruin things yet again with another ill-timed exploration of boundaries.

Unable to get past something she'd just said, I spoke without a filter. "Have a lot of others looked at you like this besides Carlisle and the Volturi Kings?" Immediately I regretted not thinking before speaking when she pulled her hand from mine and flashed towards the rock to retrieve her now damp clothing. "You know what… don't answer that," I hastily added. "I'm sorry… I have no business asking you something like that."

Dressing in seconds, she finally turned to face me, her head tilting to the side as if assessing what I really wanted despite my conflicting behavior. "No, it's okay to ask, Major," she said with an assurance in her voice that led me to believe she knew I was jealous eve if I couldn't understand the degree to which this was bothering me. "Other than my Masters and Carlisle, the only ones who have seen me like this would be Jane, Alec, and… Felix."

"Hmm," I said, unsure of what to say or even what I was thinking with that bit of information. Her pause in saying the name of a certain Volturi Guard member irked me even more now than it had earlier in the day, intensifying the idea that there was something significant which happened between them considering the strength of her emotions every time his name came up.

"Felix has seen them the most, but that is definitely something to be told another time," she said quickly after clearly recognizing another surge of jealousy welling up inside me. Squashed before it could color my thoughts or my words, she moved forward with the conversation as if nothing was amiss even though we were both aware of the pregnant pause that signified a rough conversation for a different day. "Alec has probably only seen them a handful of times. But that's mostly because he likes to pretend he can't see them even if he's in the same room. I swear his ability to alter his own perceptions is really where his gift comes in handy." She chuckled, thinking about something that caused an acute strike of pain to rush through her before she continued, almost choking on her next words. "And… as far as Janie is concerned… that was under very different circumstances… I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to talk about that."

"Okay," I said awkwardly, desperate not to speak because I wouldn't be able to refrain from inappropriately pressing for more information even though I knew it was wrong. Although it didn't really matter if I said what I was thinking, the words I was biting my tongue to control might as well have been shouted out loud for all the good my silence did me. One look at Bella told me she already knew what was causing my nosiness.

"Felix and Alec saw them first," Bella explained with a sigh. "Albeit unintentionally and long before anyone else. Before Chelsea changed everything for me around the castle, Felix and Alec had to help Master Caius… subdue me." I must have growled because she was quick to redirect my thoughts. I hadn't even realized I was letting my emotions get away from me in such a caustic way until I recognized the sudden exodus of all the wildlife surrounding us for miles. It was lucky our property was bordered only by trees. Otherwise an unfortunate human nearby could be set off on a killing spree after being exposed to the toxic amount of venomous anger I was undoubtedly projecting. "They really didn't want to do it… and they didn't know the extent of what was happening to me at the time. They were both tasked with bringing me in and out of Master Caius' special chamber as discreetly as possible."

"Do you think you can show me like you did earlier or…" I said, growling again in frustration. "Never mind, Darlin' I am so sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. It's like I have no control over my tongue tonight," I admitted glumly. I began redressing as well, ready to get out of this tense situation before Bella refused to speak to me ever again. Not that I could blame her considering what a thoughtless ass I was being. It seemed now that the subject of her scars had been breached all the things I had been pondering about Bella's life in Volterra were surfacing with a vengeance and I was as powerless to stop my insensitive blurting.

"Please excuse me for being so rude," I said pointedly, trudging out of the water to grab my boots before starting off in the direction of the house so Bella didn't have to look at me any longer. I heard the sound of her footsteps following along the makeshift path behind me, but I continued on my way through the forest, refusing to look back to see any hurt on Bella's face which my foolishness may have caused.

Without warning, something remarkable happened and I stumbled to the ground from the abrupt shock of being caught up in an inexplicable black abyss. An unmistakable thud of my corporeal form hitting the forest floor was the last thing to resonate from my physical self. It felt like my mind had fallen over a precipice and into some unknown depths of a fathomless cavern except that when I reached the bottom I knew there was going to be something illuminating. I could hear voices getting louder as the scene materialized from the void, but had yet to find a picture or image to hold on to.

I could feel the familiar tugging on my brain for only a moment before the influx of Bella's gift completely took over. Leaving me in limbo until her projected memories settled, I only saw a barrage of blurry imagery flipping past me. I wasn't confident I was meant to see the reel of other things she had scanned through to arrive at her destination, but I was determined to consider that later, some scenes too troubling to ponder at the present. Only what Bella needed me to see was important, knowing it was only by my request that she had granted this chance to know her in this oddly intimate way.

I began concentrating on her with everything I had, holding on to the tenor of her emotions for a guided tour into her memory in the hopes I wouldn't somehow get lost in this unnerving state. Unlike when she replayed the events from the girls' locker room for me and Emmett on the cross-country course, this time the projected vision was far more detailed and encapsulating. Earlier I had retained some awareness of my surroundings at the same time as I had heard Lauren and Jessica's teasing comments, witnessing what Bella had seen in what I had thought to be her perspective. At the time I had felt completely incorporated into the scene, but now I recognized there had been a detached element to it. Perhaps it was from Emmett's involvement, or the fact that we were both employing our empathic gifts at the same time now, but there was no separating myself from this scene at all. All I could see or feel around me was Bella's first-hand experience and it was terrifying.

_With my eyes shut I could only feel the disembodied hands on my body, cradling me protectively, pinning me to a massively muscled chest. There was a giant hand cupping my cheek as my head lulled to the side in exhaustion, a thumb absently grazing my cheekbone._

_Lost in my silent anguish, I willed my eyes to remain firmly shut. I knew if they were to see me struggling they would ask questions I couldn't answer, inadvertently exposing them to my Master's wrath. I only had to hold out a little longer. We were almost to my room, but the searing pain in my lungs refused to dissipate fast enough. It was as if I was drowning without water, suffocating without actually being deprived of oxygen. I whimpered accidentally, knowing it was the last of the human blood working its way out of my body that was causing me this pain. It wouldn't be long now until I could breathe again, if only I could withstand it for just a little longer._

_He jostled me in his arms, misunderstanding the reasons for my grousing. I wanted to speak to my captor, to lie and tell him I was fine, but my throat was too raw to vocalize anything more intelligible than gurgles. The giant hands supporting my body gave a reassuring squeeze at my desperate sound before gently rocking me in place. Soothing me so soundly with the gesture I chanced a moment to open my eyes to see my caretaker more clearly, hoping to convey what I couldn't seem to with words. _

_Looking up into his dark burgundy eyes, I knew this enormous vampire would never harm me, feeling as safe as possible as he held me tighter the moment our eyes met. "Shh, my lovely, we'll have you to your room in just a moment." His gaze never wavered from mine as he continued on his path, following another set of footsteps through the long candlelit corridors._

_I must have groaned or sighed because I heard a tsk sound from my other attendant. "Do something to keep her quiet, Felix. It's bad enough Demetri saw us already. Master Caius was quite clear we were to be discreet," a mellifluous voice chided from somewhere close by. _

"_Please, lovely, stay quiet or we'll all be disciplined," Felix spoke softly, looking deep into my crimson eyes as my body jerked involuntarily with fear of any additional punishment. His eyes widened knowingly as he continued to stare at me, his pupils enlarged until nothing but black remained. Startled by whatever revelation he had come by, his hands kept petting me, acting in opposition to his next harshly spoken words of caution, "Alec can't use his power on everyone we encounter from here to your room and you won't be doing us any favors by drawing attention to yourself… not in your current condition." He was concerned for me, more than himself it seemed. Suspicion blossomed in his eyes as I nodded as best I could. I knew all too well what my punishment would entail if we were found out. My fear was what it might mean for him._

_Unable to meet the intensity of his gaze, I snuggled deeper into his chest, finding a spot that best blocked my face from his view. Felix adjusted me in his arms to better caress my cheek now that I had made it more difficult. I bit deeply into my tongue to prevent myself from hissing, feeling searing pain on the skin of my lower back which inadvertently came from my new position in Felix's solid hold. I had to endure it because while I knew the pain from today's session would fade, the last thing I wanted to do was deal with the guilt from getting these two involved even more than they were already._

_Obviously oblivious to my pained reaction, the other vampire, Alec, spoke softly about what he'd noticed when they'd come to collect me, "Master Marcus would be furious to see her in this state… What do you suppose happened to cause this anyway?" _

"_I have no idea. It's not like she hasn't fed. I know she's special, and a newborn, but wasn't that the point of us force-feeding her earlier?" Felix asked, but his tone spoke more of self-reflection as he considered their earlier actions. I couldn't help but remember their conflicted expressions while they held me down just after Master Marcus left the grounds earlier that morning. They were told they were helping me, the willful and stubborn baby vampire that Master Caius had the misfortune of babysitting in the absence of his brothers. It wasn't their fault, and I would never be able to tell them I didn't blame them for following orders. Not without significant consequence coming to those I cared for anyway._

_Alec's voice sounded guilty as he replied, "We did everything he instructed. I don't understand it. I assumed that would have fixed her."_

_Felix scoffed, shaking his head as the sound of a low growl reverberated underneath my ear. "Is that really what you think he is doing? He wants to 'fix' her?"_

"_You have doubts?" Alec replied sincerely._

"_I don't know what to think, but this is… we left her with him hours ago and now she's acting so… odd. Odd even for her. Don't you find it strange we are to remain so covert? Why is it he only insists we procure her in this manner when our other Masters are otherwise occupied?" Felix paused, deeply exhaling as we turned a corner. "By the look on your face I trust this isn't the first time you considered this to be more than just simple happenstance, Alec."_

"_I am unsure of what it might mean, and honestly it might be better for all of us not to dwell on the implications any further. Whoever said knowledge was power was a narrow-minded fool. Sometimes knowledge doesn't do anything but cause greater harm to the possessor. It is not as if a vampire can forget what they've learned, so what becomes of them when that knowledge might lead them to their second death?"_

"_I see you point, brother. I just… I don't like seeing her this way," Felix's baritone voice spoke into my neck, exposed to him as my head snuggled as far into the crook of his elbow as possible._

"_Is she sleeping, Felix?" Alec asked from somewhere near my shoulder, close enough I could feel his breath on my skin._

"_I believe she's unconscious… somehow," Felix claimed, pulling me away from Alec's view, which wasn't difficult due to his extreme height. "And if that isn't cause for alarm I don't know what is."_

"_Take care with your curiosity, Felix. It may have killed the cat, but I have a feeling it will bring far worse down upon that little kitten in your arms."_

_Felix scoffed. "Well done, Alec, that was both poignant and incredibly trite," Felix chuckled darkly. "But I do see your point. I'll try and stave off asking questions for now at least… Ahh, finally, we're here."_

_I could hear rustling around me before feeling the soft, cool bed against my aching back. The contact was brutal, but gave me a sense of security all the same. Knowing these moments after my sessions were as far from another as I could ever get, I sighed happily, ignoring the way my skin felt like it was blistering beneath me in favor of relishing that single thought. I had been anticipating this moment all day, concentrating on it during the worst parts of my torture. It helped me keep my perspective, focusing on the finish-line in a sense always made me view my time with Master Caius as a temporary thing. _

_What I hadn't expected was the dip of the bed beside me before a surprisingly gentle hand moved the hair from my face. Even with my eyes shut I knew who it was. Felix pressed a kiss to my temple and uttered what sounded like sweet words though were completely undecipherable as he seemed weary of speaking in front of Alec who was still busily drifting about my room. Without the ability to articulate a response, I couldn't leave the weightiness in his feather-light gesture unreturned. I opened my eyes to understand what was happening better, to see why he was behaving in such a way but he'd already gotten up to leave. Clumsily, I extended a trembling hand to reach out for him as he moved away from my side, only managing to nuzzle his forearm in soundless gratitude as I miscalculated our distance. I clutched his wrist and breathed a sigh of relief, getting my first painless lungful of air in the process. I was filled with his scent – sandalwood and smoke._

_With a satisfied smile, Felix left with Alec a moment later, silently regarding me on the bed as I began to feign sleep in order to avoid answering any questions they might have been tempted to ask. As the door closed behind them, with a resolve I didn't think I was capable given the battered state of my body, I quickly shuffled around my bed until my feet landed on the cool stone floor of my room. I waited until I felt strong enough to stand, gazing at the clothes I'd left discarded on my desk chair when I'd been summoned by Master Caius just after dawn._

_I decided not to bother with them. Not that I could get cold, but a lingering human instinct to cover myself remained even though anything against my skin was painful. For that reason I was grateful Alec had set the fireplace for me again. I knew he would never allow me to thank him for his thoughtful gestures with anything more than a smile, but I wanted to hug the aloof vampire so badly. He knew it too. I just needed to wait until I knew he would receive my gesture as warmly as I convinced myself he would in the future. He was meant to be my friend; I knew it whole-heartedly. I had already won over his sister and I had eternity to wait him out._

_Leaving the sanctuary of my bed, I grumbled as I slowly made my way to my ornate floor-length mirror, worried about how to handle Felix. He had once again been too close to realizing my secret, putting him in danger in the process. After last week's session I was positive he'd smelled the venom still leaking from my body as he transported me to my room. I had only hoped none of it had gotten on his clothing, cluing him in to more than he could safely know._

_With a groan I adjusted myself in the silk shroud Master Caius allowed me to leave his chamber wearing. The delicate fabric scraped along my exposed wounds so harshly that every time I moved it felt like hundreds of tiny daggers dragging across my skin. Dropping the pretense of the simple sheet now that I was alone in my room, I ripped the covering from my body to investigate what Master Caius had been working on today. Outlining the feathers I had assumed given the delicate precision instruments he had used. I chortled indignantly at that thought. It was odd to think of anything as painful as a soldering iron as delicate, but I preferred it to the hours of mindless whipping I had to endure sometimes. At least with the torch I could pretend I was getting a tattoo or something more normal, anything to find a happier place until Master Caius was finished "creating" for the day._

_Turning my head towards my reflection as much as my neck would allow, I viewed the destroyed skin with a detached scrutiny I used specifically to disenfranchise myself from my body. Defeated and sick of finding the will to fight on, I gave what I felt was my last real sigh, my soul being exhaled through my mouth as I knew from here on out it would be an eternity of despair. What would happen once Master Caius was done with his masterpiece? It didn't matter, not really. There was nothing but pain ahead of me, a lifeless existence without hope for anything better._

_Imagining what the rest of forever would look like on his cruel artist's table, I heard a gasp, a creak, and a sudden bang as Felix slammed my door shut with such force the wall shook. A few loose stones even came crumbling down from the molding around the entryway before he rushed to my side, stopping several feet away as his eyes widened almost comically. I would have laughed had it not been for what he was looking at, my damaged, naked back exposed to him through the reflection of the mirror._

_To his credit he wasn't staring at anything else but the mirror. Whether by force or sheer incredulity, Felix seemed to overlook the fact I was standing completely nude in front of him, instead fixating on what I knew he had suspected all along. His mouth opened and closed several times before his words came out, strangled and raspy. "I was bringing you the book I promised you last time I took you out hunting. I thought you'd be lying in bed still. I never… thought this was what… No, that isn't true. On some level I've known all along. Please forgive me, love."_

_He kneeled down on the floor in front of me, his large frame making him eye-level with my breasts. I was keenly aware of this fact as he moved forward, still on his knees, crouching down to rest his head against my bare stomach just above my navel. "I'm so sorry," he murmured into my skin. I placed my hand on his head, threading my fingertips through his soft hair. I couldn't help but notice how similar it was to my silk sheets, feeling safe surrounded by the smell of sandalwood and smoke. _

I groaned, fully coming back to myself, to the scent of rain and earth and something that was distinctly Bella. She was stroking the hair from my face in much the same way Felix had done to her, kneeling next to me as I laid on the forest floor staring at the green canopy of the trees above our heads while my eyes regained their focus. Knowing it was a ridiculous time to feel indignant even though it didn't seem like I could help it entirely. Instinct seemed to be driving my every thought at the moment.

Deciding to power through by redirecting my thoughts away from the two of them in such an intimate setting, I asked through gritted teeth as I sat up, still a little woozy, "What did he do about it? Did he at least try to help you? Couldn't he have told someone?"

She shrugged slightly, entwining our fingers, feeling my distress over the whole thing but keeping up her magnanimous attitude despite it. "Felix did what he could. More than he should have considering we were both obligated by our bonds with our Masters. As much as he wanted to stop it there was nothing he could do that wouldn't pose a greater risk to both of us. I begged him to let it be since telling the others might have made things worse. In the end, Master Caius did find out about what Felix had been doing for me and…" she paused, deliberating intently before shaking those wistful thoughts from her mind. "Among other things he swore he would never let me get away and even if I found some solace it would only be temporary because I was his masterpiece and he'd never let me go."

Bella's words confirmed my inclinations towards Caius' state of mind and I wasn't sure how to respond. Instead I let her pensive state persist uninterrupted until she was ready to continue, knowing it was my fault she was depressed now because I thoughtlessly kept prying. Her brows furrowed, as she frowned and asked, "Did Carlisle tell you Master Caius calls me 'the beautiful demon'? 'Il Demone Bellissima'? During every grueling session, he never hesitated to remind me that Lucifer was the most beautiful of all of God's Angels. He said I should have been grateful he was generous enough to give me an eternal reminder of my father's long-lost wings."

"Why?" I croaked, unsure of exactly what I was questioning. Nothing seemed to make sense at the moment.

"Master Caius has always maintained that I am an abomination. I am the revolting daughter of the Devil sent to destroy vampire-kind in the struggles which are coming to our world," she explained with a wry smile.

Each time I thought I had a handle on the situation, the fog became denser. The strange happenings going on in the vampire world which Carlisle had also hinted at the day he returned to Forks with Bella, it seemed all the trouble was profoundly linked to Volterra.

Running my hands over my face, I murmured, "I don't know what to say." And I truly didn't. Usually well-spoken, keenly adept at charming someone even in my human life, in this moment I was at a complete loss as to how to proceed. "I am so sorry that this happened to you. I will do everything in my power to make sure you never feel that way again. You won't have to endure the kind of pain you did in Volterra with me. I can promise you that."

"Things could always have been worse," Bella said quickly, a small smile on her face as she reminisced. "Jane, Alec, and Felix – especially Felix - made things more bearable for me until the day Carlisle showed up to fix the situation a bit more thoroughly. Carlisle made it really difficult for Master Caius to get me alone, though not impossible. The Devil in his true form – that's who my Master really is - more than made up for my temporary reprieve before we left the castle." Bella paused, fraught with an odd mixture of more guilt than shame as she looked up towards the barely visible moon creeping through the branches above us. It seemed like she was searching for some answers there before she looked at me directly, remorse in her blazing terracotta eyes.

Her emotional composition struck me as peculiar. The deeply rooted feelings of compassion and sympathy mixed in with the pain hadn't been what I was expecting to find in a woman reflecting on her abuse. I wanted to inquire who exactly she was feeling sorry for but knew it wasn't the right time. Thankfully before I put my foot in my mouth yet again I remembered that Carlisle had made a vague reference to something awful having occurred on one of their last nights in Volterra. Whatever it was that had caused such a significant level of lasting damage to Bella's already tenuous emotional balance would need to be discussed later. It was obviously a source of great pain, probably a trigger for her feeling so powerless sometimes.

"Once Master Marcus saw the extent of my… disfigurement, knowing how I felt about it despite his insistence it isn't anything shameful, he looked into different ways to help lessen the appearance of the scars. He has some ideas, but still needed to look into it further to make some sense of the older theories since they don't exactly apply to a freak like me," Bella said, smiling in a way which made her look like she was in pain.

"Those fools are the freaks if they think I will ever let them get their hands on you again." I was seething with anger at just the prospect of Bella falling victim to Caius' evil machinations again, remembering Carlisle's assertion she would have to go back there at some point.

"Thank you for the sentiment, Major, but I truly do adore Master Marcus. I had some kind of connection to him even before Chelsea did her voodoo. I'm not sure what the reason was, maybe because he was the first one to bite me, but I consider him to be a father in my eyes. Master Aro cares for me too and I feel for him even without the need of a manufactured bond. But Master Caius, he seemed jealous of me from the day I opened my eyes as an immortal. He was resentful of everything: my presence, my powers, the attention I received from his brothers and the Guard… I still need them all to some extent - even that bastard. I hope in time you can understand that."

Begrudgingly I sighed, willing myself to calm down. The strain of the complicated relationship Bella had with the three Volturi Kings didn't need to be compounded by my anger over the futile situation. She needed my support more than anything else. "I will try to accept it if you feel that strongly about things… for now. In the meantime, I propose we work on making you see how capable you are on your own so you can learn not to underestimate yourself anymore. You can still fulfill your duty to them without the emotional dependence."

"So you're going to toughen me up?" she asked, rising to her feet and effortlessly pulling me along with her. "That _is_ a big part of the reason Master Marcus and Aro sent me here with Carlisle. They want me to find a sense of purpose and confidence beyond what Master Caius said I was good for. He hurt me so much… I hate the idea of anyone ever finding out how much. I don't want pity. I just want to feel normal and not like some horribly disfigured monster."

Hoping that I could change the tension in the air by taking a page out of Bella and Emmett's playbook, I attempted to lighten the mood with a silly comment. "I think you are beautiful in every way and if it would help… well, I would be willing to spend the rest of eternity with just you… completely naked… just to prove to you how sexy I think you are. What do you say, Sugar, want to give it a try?" I teased, waggling my eyebrows before reaching for her hand to guide her home.

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**A/N:** Does anyone else like a jealous Jasper? Poor guy doesn't even know the half of it yet. Bella might be a virgin, but she's far from "innocent". Sorry if that disappoints anyone, but I didn't want to write a story where everything is her first sexual experience. There's plenty of great fanfics which cover that topic anyway. Besides, in my opinion all of these vampires tend to be very sexual creatures. She would have needed an outlet for that in Volterra, right? And wait until you find more out more about her odd dynamic with Felix. Jasper won't know what to do with himself.

I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews as compensation. :)

Next time… Bella's point of view on meeting the wolves, followed by an illuminating and slightly terrifying family conversation.


	13. Howling Mad

Author's Note: This chapter got too long on me so the family conversation will be next time instead. Don't be disappointed though because that chapter needed to stand alone. Anyway, as a way to apologize for not updating for so long I will try to get Chapter 14 out within the next few days. The chapters which are soon to come are some of my favorite in the whole story and I want you all to read them so badly. Editing takes some time though and RL has been a little rough recently. Sorry again, and thank you for everyone who reached out to me. Thank you so much for all the sweetness. It was much appreciated.

**Il Demone Bellissima**

Howling Mad

Chapter 13 – Bella's Point of View

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"Come now, Xavier, surely you can stand of your own volition. It does not become one of our kind to grovel. It's beneath us, utterly pathetic and entirely too… human." The last word was spat with such palpable distaste it made most of the vampires in the room cringe from the overwhelming urge to cleanse the horrid flavor of mortality from settling upon their own tongues.

"I implore you to see reason, Aro," the broken vampire cried in desperation, inching forward on his knees, his demeanor so shockingly different than when Felix had first escorted him up from the dungeon minutes earlier. "This is all a misunderstanding. Please!"

"Stand and accept the fate you've wrought with some semblance of dignity," the ancient vampire cajoled, hands tented thoughtfully on his lap, fingers thrumming in artful rhythm. "It is truly the only thing you have left of value," Master Aro remarked with an ironic smirk as his weighty gaze flicked from me to concentrate fully upon the filthy, defeated vampire stripped of all but his threadbare pants in the center of the throne room.

The moment Felix opened the gilded doors to admit the obviously smug prisoner to his trial, for reasons I would later come to understand, several sets of bright burgundy eyes had flared with twisted excitement at the prospect of seeing his particular punishment delivered. Overly cocky, believing himself invulnerable to Volturi rule due to his uniqueness, the six-hundred year-old Spaniard Xavier Cordoba had on previous occasions callously insulted several of my brothers and sisters without provocation. It was apparent to me even in my standard position during Court, gaze downcast while kneeling beside Master Marcus, that everyone in the room was anxious to see his venom spill.

As the brazen vampire began to make his case, flippantly with an almost sarcastic tone, his words distracted my Masters enough that I was able to catch Jane's eye off to my left. With the slightest of movements, she nodded, confirming my suspicions that Xavier was yet another amongst an ever-expounding group of gifted vampires having taken up residence in the bowels of the castle. I frowned deeply but only in my mind as I maintained my requisite blank expression, feeling every ounce of culpability which had literally brought this oblivious vampire to his imminent second death.

Despite the knowledge that Xavier's traitorous crimes had been the primary reason for his imprisonment within the dungeon, Demetri had recently let it slip to Jane that the dramatic influx of gifted vampires to the castle was no coincidence. They had been purposely – quietly – recalled in mass, an action prompted solely by my addition to the ranks. If the summoned vampires failed to abide by the "request", Demetri was being utilized to track them down to appear in Volterra. Although by all accounts of the older members of the Guard this action had been unprecedented, any Volturi associate with a latent power was due to report within the next two months for what was being called a "routine" evaluation.

Over his long life Master Aro had acquired and maintained a varied conglomerate of gifted vampires - some with questionable allegiances - to act as Volturi assets around the world. Effectively rendering their "special" status obsolete upon meeting me, the vampire would lose their unique quality as a bargaining chip to be weighed against their loyalty. If innocent of any duplicity they were allowed to leave the castle, unaware that I had replicated their power in most cases. If found to be purposely or unwittingly endangering the brothers' grip on the vampire world, however, the vampire would stand trial without deference being paid to whatever gift they possessed. This subsequently allowed punishments to be doled out with more severe recourse than ever before.

Acting as an insurance policy by duplicating a vampire's special talent, I ensured there would be no loss to Volturi strength if termination was the brothers' decision. This was an unfortunate fact for Xavier, who upon arrival Master Aro had determined to be guilty of sharing private information with a problematic coven rapidly expanding in Mexico. The arrogant vampire was no longer as valuable as he believed himself to be, an air of confidence in his eyes that had yet to be deflated by the reality of his redundancy. This cruel irony was something Master Aro seemed to delight in as he ramped up to the grand unveiling, the fact that the brash vampire lacked the safety net that had previously stayed his execution for his treasonous behavior over the years.

"You broke the covenant," the most out-spoken of the Kings stated, interrupting my train of thought. Master Aro's voice had reached a sharp crescendo before resetting to his normal, more mellifluous tone to continue. "Our secrets must be maintained, especially in this modern society. You have been remiss to adjust your knowledge accordingly, to diligently protect us as is your inherent duty as an associate of the Volturi. News of our existence could travel the world in an instant, yet you had no idea what a camera-phone even looked like – that you were being recorded by an enemy while accessing our personal communique."

It was fortunate the Volturi were diligent in adapting to new technologies, having quickly caught and eradicated the problem at its source moments after the strange link to their accounts surfaced on the internet. Living for an eternity led to my Masters having a dynamic collection of debts and resources from which they could draw upon in an emergency, on the cutting edge of every military satellite and banking system across the globe. Entire governments turned their cheeks to the anomalous activities of the Volturi in exchange for substantial concessions made to their political funds. The whole thing was diabolical, and so deeply-rooted within the global sphere the mafia would never have been able to fully grasp the extent of it even in their prime.

"You will make amends for your dangerous oversight, Cordoba," Master Aro hissed.

The slightly gaunt vampire whose dulled ruby eyes appeared sunken into what would have otherwise been a classically handsome face if he'd fed in the last month since his captivity looked up through his matted black hair to explain. "You need me, Aro," he insisted, pretending not to look alarmed by my Master's clearly surprising attitude. The circumstances of his imprisonment finally seemed to be affecting him, although I couldn't understand why it hadn't occurred to him that he was in dire trouble after a few sessions with Alec and Jane over the past few weeks.

The novelty of the situation caused Xavier to stammer incredulously, "I – uh- see that- um- you've added a few more than I'd except to your ranks since last we've seen each other, Aro. Surely some of these came about from exposure, of being remiss in protecting the secret. Your procurers alone are not so diligent. Are you so removed from making mistakes that I should be judged so harshly when your crimes are not so dissimilar to mine?"

There was some grumbling from around the room due to Xavier's audacity to say such things, clearly too brazen to grasp his diminutive position entirely. "You gave a rival coven access to our private accounts," he explained, as if to an insolent child. "Whom we choose to appoint to the Guard is not your concern. The only thing that matters at the moment is the extent of your foolishness and what we feel is acceptable retribution."

"Surely you do not mean to kill me, Aro," the accused stated with vehemence, clearly fighting the urge to step forward. This flicker of hostility from him despite Renata's widely-known physical shielding ability protecting the Kings caused a wave of movement from the Elite Guard staggered around the room. Everyone was alert and eager to pounce on Xavier if he took any additional aggressive action.

Master Aro waved his hand, silencing the room with an indulgent smile as he took control of the proceedings once again. "Well, yes, Xavier, I do believe death is appropriate given your unending stupidity. Your services are no longer required, my old friend."

Flabbergasted, the condemned vampire spluttered, "Surely the circumstances must be mitigated, Aro. I had little other option but to help that vile bitch if I wanted to make it out of her camp intact."

"So you were knowingly obtuse as a means of ingratiating yourself to _her_?" Master Marcus interrupted, his fingers tangling briefly in my hair as he fought his frustrations.

"She's insane. Far worse than anyone else I've encountered in my life – volatile and savage. I know how valuable I am to you. If I tell you what I know of her plans then you'll just have to see reason and…"

Master Caius sneered immediately, obviously uncomfortable with Xavier's declaration to the point venom had collected in the corner of his mouth. Irate, he hissed, "There is no excuse for your duplicitous actions, you traitorous dog. Let's be done with this, Aro. Unleash your pet demon!"

I could feel Master Caius' red eyes target me instantly, making me cower only in my mind as I hid in that special compartment inside myself I had erected for moments under his attention in public. In his chamber I would never be allowed to shirk his venomous stare, but with Master Marcus' hand petting my head so adoringly I was free to ignore _him_ for now. Despite my lack of reaction, the undeniable fact _I_ was who he had been referring to with that comment rang out in the room with absolute clarity.

Hearing the words, combining whatever information he had gathered through the whispered conversations inside the desolate underground cells below the castle, Xavier finally seemed to realize how dangerous a situation he was in, how close his life really was to being over. Horrified at the prospect, his screams of terror became that much more pure, emphasizing the powerful acoustics which came from the high-vaulted ceiling inside the throne room.

Xavier's reaction was instantaneous as he fought the urge to glare at me directly and give himself away. It was of no consequence since I could feel it flowing out of him immediately –his power. He had pieced together enough of the inherent threat that I – the demon - presented in the situation, the reason I was being kept like a pet at my Master's feet.

Evidently this particular vampire had a very unique gift. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but it was pulsing through me now. Waves of potential energy which made me almost giddy for him to move against my Masters to give me a chance to try it out. It knew it would be lovely to test myself with this one after experiencing the energy which had consumed me. It felt more natural to me somehow, unlike some of the others I had gathered from the "gifted" which had been arriving almost daily these days.

Xavier's face twitched slightly as he centered his energy on me just as Master Aro had intended with his baiting, seeing he was unable to affect me with his powerful gift all the while trying to seem undeterred and in control. He had murder in his eyes, a manic sort of expression as he lost himself trying to determine how his ability had been nullified. Holding his gift back with the power I had gained from one of the first vampire's purposely brought before me for replication, I dramatically lifted my gaze from the marble floor to meet his eye-line.

Although he had been fighting the impulse, he looked directly at me then. I couldn't help my sinister smile, my voice chilling as I spoke. "It is done, Master."

I knew it was wicked, but the tangible fear flowing from him was delicious. He was defeated and he knew it, angry and confused as he fell to his knees in a last desperate attempt to garner some mercy from the Volturi. That was when Xavier began to beg profusely, pleading his case with a sincerity that surprised several of my fellow Guard who had been on the receiving end of his prideful tongue in the past. He had always felt superior to those "subjugated" in Volterra, being allowed to roam freely while still taking advantage of his Volturi connections. Xavier had clearly failed to understand that my Masters did not envelop those in the umbrella of their graces without expecting service in return. The fool.

Upon Master Aro's insistence he stand to receive his judgment, Felix assumed his position behind the sentenced vampire, gripping Xavier under the arms to effortlessly tug the despondent prisoner to his feet. The fight seemed to have been taken out of the hopeless vampire now that he was aware his "gift" gambit was gone. It was rather sad to see the state of despair which had fallen over him so easily, too effortlessly broken by the loss of his uniqueness.

Seeing the opportunity to make the scene that much clearer to the judged vampire – even more intimidating, although completely unnecessary- Master Aro rose from his seat to stand behind me. Patting my head with affection, I knew this gesture was meant to frighten the condemned prisoner – to prolong the anticipation of what it was I was going to do to him. Jane and Alec were often included in this capacity for the purposes of instilling additional fear, cluing those found guilty in to the extent of pain that was about to be inflicted upon them. With reputations known far and wide, "the Witch Twins" deference to me made my role in that punishment even more ominous. I was the thing of nightmares, the hangman, the executioner.

"Xavier," Master Aro cooed, "Since you were so interested earlier, we would like you to meet the newest addition to the Guard. Although, I'm certain you would have already heard tales of her _abilities_ as you awaited this hearing. It seems these days the dungeons hum with stories of our gattina, our Isabella." With his hand resting on my head, it was obvious Master Aro's effort was having the desired effect. Xavier's already wild eyes widened with panic and disbelief as he undoubtedly recalled something he'd overheard.

Noticing the desired terror taking root, Master Aro continued, "We would like to make your acquaintance with her a bit more personal. It's a special procedure, you see, an introduction to her unique venom. It is so special, in fact, that you will do whatever we ask just to rid yourself of the pain which comes from..."

"No! No! No!" Xavier screamed in a tortured chant, understanding at least some of what was about to happen. Even if he didn't know specifically, he would have heard the howling cries of those not sentenced to death, but had suffered another hardship entirely, a torture specifically designed for me and Felix to implement.

Dreading his fate, in an attempt to bolt out of Felix's hold to charge the doors for freedom, everyone was so surprised by the sudden act of self-preservation from the previously forlorn vampire that only the strongman holding him had time to react. The ensuing crack which appeared down the length of Felix's jaw as he was assaulted by a struggling Xavier, briefly staggered by the brute force the flailing limbs created in his panicky throes, caused my breath to leave my body in shock of my friend's injury.

I could feel the coil of hatred springing forth from somewhere deep within me, burning up as the need for violent retribution erupted throughout my being. A surge of dark red bloodlust colored my vision. The shaking in my hands was immediate and completely uncontrollable as the heat inside me exploded. I let loose a ferocious roar as I unleashed a torrent of emotion I could no longer contain.

Everything happened so quickly I was not aware I had moved from my Master's feet at all. Yet, within a second, I was next to Felix. Groping his face before feverishly licking his skin like the kitten they all teased me for being, my own whimpers of fear seemed to drown out any other noise in the room. Only faintly aware of the sound of my name echoing throughout the high-vaulted stone space, I realized someone was trying to get my attention, demanding I pull myself together. It was only after Felix whispered my name in a low gasp that I ceased my protective behavior.

It was the weight in my hand that next drew my attention. Using all the tactile ability my supernatural status had provided, I sensed greasy hair tangled between my fingers. Something was very strange, wrong in a way I couldn't yet grasp as I struggled to return to myself.

Hesitantly looking down, I saw the eviscerated vampire parts strewn about the room. Pieces of Xavier so fully destroyed that I knew he was beyond repair. My body went slack in an instant, being supported completely by Felix's strength as he silently petted my head, fully aware of the danger I had brought upon myself in taking Xavier's life before ordered.

Wincing slightly at my extreme over-reaction, I squeaked meekly, "I didn't… I'm so sorry, my M-masters. I don't know what came over me. I…" Trailing off, I broke from the strongman's embrace and fell to the floor, kneeling in venom, bone and brain wondering how I could be simultaneously so strong and so weak.

"Please forgive me, Masters," I cried, pained in what felt like my last exhalation of breath.

Hearing a collective gasp of astonishment overtake the stunned room, I watched as any distinguishable parts of the vampire I had just dismembered ignited into flames in unison. Felix's lack of panic spoke volumes of his trust in me, his experience with my combustible ability while knowing no harm would come to him. He didn't even flinch as we remained in the epi-center of the venom-fueled ring of orange fire and purple smoke.

"My goodness, Isabella, there is no need for such fear," Master Aro said after a labored gulp, watching the last remnants of Xavier smolder into ash. "We always intended his debt be paid with his life… in due time, of course. It is slightly disappointing that you jumped the proverbial gun since we had hoped he could be of some use during our campaign with that annoying Mexican coven. Alas, this is just as well. Besides, seeing such an honorable display of protectiveness was quite stunning to witness. Pity you administered his death so swiftly that we barely got to see it. You used his power against him, did you not?"

I nodded reflexively, unaware of exactly what I had done but knowing it was definitely new to my repertoire. "You were magnificent, gattina," Master Marcus added, looking at me with a softened expression I knew was reserved only for me.

Instilled with the security only he could provide, I looked around for the first time since my brain went haywire, noticing the fear so visibly written on the faces of vampires thought to be the most ruthless and cruel in our world. Sidelining my confusion for the moment, I gathered my senses and took my focus off of Felix, the Guard, and the Kings. Noticing the liquid pooling around my feet which hadn't ignited due to my shield, I realized I was venom-soaked from head to toe. It was no great surprise really considering the only discernible piece of the vampire who formerly occupied the spot I now stood was the head I still held clutched in my hand.

Upon recognizing this fact, I dropped Xavier's skull to the floor, the thud making my stomach lurch in such an unnatural way for a vampire. Someone giggled at the sickening noise – probably Jane if I had to guess – and I dared to meet the stare of the other Volturi again. With a few curt nods as I surveyed their expressions, the most significant look of satisfaction coming from Alec, I saw their fear change to respect, their shock morph to camaraderie as small smiles began to grow on their faces. They had wanted Xavier's head more than I realized evidently. I was almost proud of myself for making everyone so happy, as absurd as that seemed given how out of control I knew I truly was.

The moment was fleeting, however, gone so quickly I barely got a taste of it before something even more disturbing than the gory scene around me made my nerves stand on edge once again. Focused squarely on the vampire I had just tried to defend, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop the pain it promised from befalling upon Felix like I had long feared, the scrutinizing glare of Master Caius made me shudder.

"You must feel so honored, Felix," the devil sneered, his eyes filled with suspicion and new-found malice taking shape. "The depth of the little demon's concern for you abounds despite her orders. How very _interesting_?"

..o..o..o…

"I appreciate the deep sense of protectiveness I feel coming off you, but we'll all be fine," the Major said almost teasingly. "Just stay right by my side if you're uncomfortable with the dogs."

I looked up at him reluctantly after his confident declaration, quickly returning my eyes to their former downcast position aimed at the mossy forest floor. He didn't understand what had sparked the intense need to shield everyone I cared about, but the cause of my emotions didn't need explanation.

I lacked the belief he seemed to have that I could maintain my control given the strange circumstances surrounding the meeting with the Quileute. My submissive gesture was clearly not what the Major had wanted to see, as he spoke softly but with conviction. "We all trust you to be here, and please remember that I won't let you lose control," the empath assured, running his fingertips up my arm to my shoulder and then to my neck. When he reached my chin, urging my head up only slightly with the gentlest touch, he pinned me with the intensity of his beautiful golden eyes. His gesture was meant to encourage without force, suggest rather than demand. I appreciated the intricacies of that more than he would ever know.

His empathic gift made the Major acutely aware of how truly unhinged I was still feeling despite his continual efforts to convince me otherwise. Eternally grateful for his consummate desire to help me heal, the depths of his sense of honor and respect resounded through the empathy we shared, pulling us closer. Practically every moment with him had been inexplicably cathartic, redeeming and powerful in a way I knew would change me irrevocably if I could just let it happen.

With a reassuring hand clasped on my shoulder, the other source of peace in my new life drew my attention fully. "And you know I wouldn't have asked you to come if I hadn't believed you to be a good candidate for the job," Carlisle said with a smile I couldn't help but return. His warm sentiments had already been so helpful in generating some of the progress those in Volterra were expecting from me I would be eternally grateful to him. Master Marcus especially would be proud of the strides I'd made already. With both of these men by my side I could feel myself healing a little more each day, old wounds closing over with a much thicker skin to help protect me in the future.

"Thank you, Carlisle," the Major added before refocusing me on the task at hand like any great leader would. "Now, no more feeling insecure or volatile, Kitten. I felt that come over you like a tidal wave about half-way over here. Almost tackled your ass to give you a spanking as punishment for insulting yourself that way, especially considering everything we talked about tonight."

Though I didn't see it in any outward expression of his interest, I felt Carlisle's curiosity at the Major's comment. I knew my new "father" would have been pleased by what transpired earlier, but now was not the time to discuss the milestone he would have considered revealing my scars to be. With my eyes set on the mushy Earth below my feet in the submissive position the Major's tone of voice indicated appropriate, I nodded my understanding before mindfully responding, "I understand, Sir. My punishment would have been well-earned. I will try harder, I promise."

Finding my strength in the Major's earlier words of encouragement, I straightened my posture and squared my shoulders, knowing he was aware how badly I needed to be properly reined in before such an unpredictable undertaking. Smiling in my mind, I sent him a dose of gratitude to acknowledge the effectiveness of his efforts. After all, he was absolutely correct in his assessment of me.

On the run over I had started re-thinking the risk of my presence at the meeting since I felt out of my comfort zone so far from Volterra. Recognizing that an over-zealous response on my part here would be devastating for so many innocent people, it made me doubt my ability to stay in control even with the Major and my newest father figure by my side. If I made a mistake and took things too far at the castle, the Volturi simply chalked up my wrath as more fuel to flame the fires of fear of the Kings and their infamous Guard. The stakes were very different here considering how volatile I could be when someone posed a threat to the people I cared about.

To be trusted to actively assist in this meeting was making me nervous. I didn't want to lose control and give these wolves any more reasons to hate us, or worse - to destroy the peace accord Carlisle created decades ago. The tenuous treaty which existed between the supernatural creatures of Forks, Washington was apparently already strained. To add me into the mix was a dangerous concoction of combustible material and I didn't have the faith in myself that the Major had in me. I knew to defer to him, my new Master, since this was exactly the kind of situation where I needed to be controlled. I trusted him completely, ready to do as I had vowed and comply with any demand he might make of me tonight.

We cautiously approached the clearing where the wolves were due to arrive, taking a full account of the terrain and any potential blind spots in the area. Following our return from the river after our hunt, Carlisle and the Major had explained more about these creatures we were going to meet - their weaknesses and their abilities. Although most of that was just speculation from what they had gleaned from their few previous encounters with the strange creatures, I knew enough to be very cautious. I had wanted to ask Emmett and Rosalie their opinions on these wolves to get a more comprehensive picture but they had abruptly disappeared the moment we came in the house.

After a few minutes of waiting for the arrival of these beasts, standing motionless as if on pause, I could suddenly smell their peculiar stink wafting through the air. They were still a few miles away but closing in fast. Counting their footfalls, there were six of these shape-shifters coming to speak with Carlisle about something they felt was urgent. As they entered my empathic radius, I could feel their intense panic, finding it profoundly disturbing that we were about to converse with extremely nervous vampire-hating dogs. Anger and aggression I could understand, but their overwhelming fear was unanticipated.

It gave me an ominous feeling in the pit of my stomach in a way I hadn't experienced since becoming a vampire. It might have been the mysterious reason which precipitated the emergency meeting in the first place combined with the anomalous, enigmatic quality about them in general that was prompting my unease. Despite the tension, I couldn't help but note the irony. This was probably a similar feeling to what most vampires experienced when confronted by me when the Kings held Court. The way I was kept, the spectacle that was made over me and my methods was nothing short of dramatic.

As they got closer their linked thoughts became distinctive enough I could clearly distinguish their minds' voices. Despite their distance, my telepathy thankfully provided me with the reason for their sudden reactionary fears which the meeting had been called to address. I felt a modicum of comfort in the knowledge that they weren't purely aggressive in their thoughts. Their motivation for coming was based on a deep desire to protect their families and friends. That was something I understood very well.

"The six wolves approaching are all preoccupied with concerns about a bunch of young tribe members 'phasing' into wolves for the first time within the last few days," I explained, waiting to catch another train of thought before continuing. "Apparently the one in charge believes this is linked to an influx of vampire scents in the area. That is the reason for their demand to meet."

Carlisle interjected quickly, worry on his face with the shape-shifters' arrival imminent, "I am afraid of the implications of that. I truly had no idea our scent caused any reaction in them."

I wasn't sure why my entire being was suddenly permeated with Carlisle's guilt, but I chose to wait to ask for more information. Ignoring his distress, I continued whispering my translation of their thoughts as the wolves neared. "Earlier today they had gone to the school to check up on the Cullens. They found a heavy concentration of vampire scent there and are confused by what it means. They think there is some sort of vampire convention in town, but I'm not sure why that is… Also, they keep referring to the 'red eyes' that have been attacking people a few towns over and they wonder if you all know them." Carlisle nodded in understanding, contemplating what all of that might mean.

I sighed with relief that I could help, but couldn't shake the somber feeling in my gut that something was very wrong. Brushing his knuckles down my cheek, the Major let his fingers rest on my chin until I raised my head to look him in the eyes again. The posturing was odd to me, deviating from my submissive position slightly even though I knew he was aware of the significance. I felt his reassurance through every fiber of my being while looking into his amber eyes, which I believed to be the point of his gesture.

Stepping closer to me, he practically purred, "Well done, Darlin'."

I shivered slightly, my mouth reflexively going slack as if to seek out more of his touch. It was something he saw as well, leading to a cocky smirk on his face as he moved even closer. Pressing a single kiss to my forehead, he whispered into my skin so softly I wasn't sure even Carlisle could have heard even though he was standing on my other side. "Since we don't want to give them more to fear we need to keep your powers to ourselves as much as possible. If there is something you need to share in their presence only project your thoughts. I'm fairly certain their hearing is almost as good as ours. Make note of any thoughts which do not require immediate action and we'll discuss everything that isn't pertinent to our safety when we get home."

I nodded as we separated, leaving me standing between Carlisle and the Major as the wolves descended. Grateful now that I had already prepared myself to put up the thickest shield I could muster at the first sign of trouble from these strange beasts because if I hadn't I might have blasted them with Jane's gift the moment the first massive head popped up over the hill.

For a second I thought my enhanced vampire eyesight had become faulty. These wolves were much larger than I could have anticipated even after seeing them in the thoughts of my family. Memory, even eidetic vampire memory, could exaggerate details in stressful situations. I had expected this to be the case with these wolves. From my understanding any interaction with this Quileute tribe in the past had always been difficult. I was under the impression my family's frame of mind might have inadvertently created some embellishment on their enemies' physical attributes, letting caution and fear influence their judgments. I was wrong.

Standing proudly, the group of five overgrown wolves waited at a respectable distance. I wasn't sure why I had originally accounted for six until a burly, bare-chested Native American man dressed in cut-off jean shorts stepped out from the dense foliage behind them. Going on the assumption that he was their leader, I studied him thoroughly for any indication of duplicitous intention as he took the dominant position in front of their formation. With a cursory assessment, I deemed him an honest man, albeit extremely disgruntled with vampires in general - the Cullens more specifically.

The leader's sudden growl and burst of outrage startled me as he spoke with open hostility while looking us over, readying his group to prepare to attack with the position of his fist above his shoulder. "Who is this new leech with you, Carlisle? I don't recognize her. Even if you bit and turned a human not from Forks, it is still a violation of the treaty," he snarled.

Tying to diffuse the situation, Carlisle disregarded his insulting tone and calmly replied, "Sam, this is Isabella. She has recently joined my family from another coven due to her desire to preserve human life. I assure you that she poses absolutely no threat to humans whatsoever. I brought her here tonight so you would all be able to identify her should you cross paths in the future. As an animal drinker, she is now protected under the treaty in the same way as every other member of my family."

"I'm not sure I can take your word for that, Cullen. Why are her eyes so different than the rest of you if she is an animal drinker?" he said with unmistakable condemnation. "More importantly," he barked, "Why do I smell more leeches around here than what I can see in front of me? What are you bloodsuckers planning?" he demanded, incrementally inching closer along with the rest of the wolves still locked in a tight V-formation behind him.

Though I knew my place in this situation, giving all deference to Carlisle and the Major, the way this wolf-man kept eye-balling me like repulsive trash was wearing heavily on me emotionally. Sensing my distress, the empath nodded almost imperceptibly while sending me some comfort I sorely needed. His reassuring presence was all I needed to put my focus back on the circumstances at hand, knowing we would be discussing my emotional response to the Alpha's attitude later.

Feeling more confident, I projected what I was able to gather from the wolf/man's mind to Carlisle, keeping the Major in the loop so he knew everything that might factor in if a fight were to break out. _'Sir, he truly does believe there are others lying in wait to take the pack off guard. I am not sure why, but he is feeling very threatened, like he just walked them all into a trap.'_

Even without responding to me, I knew Carlisle was going to use that information to his advantage, capitalizing on Sam's fear by acknowledging it outright. "I'm confused by your hostility, Sam. I followed your request to the letter and only brought Jasper and Bella to this meeting even though I knew you would bring your full pack. I thought that would provide you with the reassurance you needed that we meant your people no ill-will."

"This is just… wrong. You and your kind are _wrong_!" he screamed, shaking in his idle rage. "The Quileute have always known how tricky the Cold Ones can be with your forked Devil tongues. How am I supposed to trust you when you continue to try to deceive us? We know what you say to be false by the sickly sweet stink of death your kind creates. It lingers in the air, and right now I can smell it all around us – so thick that it must be from more than just the three of you bloodsuckers." He growled vociferously, reaching a remarkable decibel in his human form. His boisterousness seemed to rouse a supportive chorus of chortles and gruff barks from the wolves behind him as if turning the Alpha into a lupine cheerleader.

Speaking coolly in the face of so much noise, Carlisle responded immediately, "I believe we are at an impasse then since I cannot smell other vampires around besides us though I know you are not going to take my word for it. We came here at your request, yet you are refusing to move forward with your purpose for calling this meeting. Since I do not really see the point in standing here just to be insulted, my family and I will take our leave now."

My Master's strong inner voice rung out loudly in my head, _'Kitten, tell Carlisle to turn around and walk away right now. They will either see him showing his back as dismissive or trusting. Either works because they'll automatically recognize that he is not feeling threatened by them. They might be insulted, but it will register on an instinctual level that he isn't looking to fight.'_ I instantly conveyed the Major's strategic proposal, realizing just how good he was at gauging an enemy's reactions even without the exclusive use of his gift.

Carlisle did as instructed, leaving a stunned Sam standing in his wake as he calmly spun on his heel to walk away. _'Oh, and don't forget my eyes, Dad,' _I interjected. _'Wouldn't want them thinking I'm a human drinker, would we?'_ He nodded quickly to me and nonchalantly turned back to the wolves as if they were an after-thought.

I was so proud of him, knowing how uneasy he was with insulting anyone even though he was pulling off this aloof attitude like a well-seasoned actor."And to answer your previous question and assuage your fears about my new daughter, the eyes of a newborn are always red. They contain residual traces of their own blood which is slowly fed off of as they mature. She is indeed an animal drinker and has been since her change for the most part. Her eyes are slowly fading to the golden tones you see in the rest of my family, but won't turn completely for a few more months. With that said, we will be going now, Sam. If you change your mind and want to speak civilly, please don't hesitate to give me a call."

"Wait," Sam called out as Carlisle turned away again. "The strong vampire smell, what is your excuse for that then?" asked the Alpha gruffly, clearly hating the slight desperation in his voice as the sound reached his ears. His inquiry was as a last resort, noting the palpable frustration he felt over the strange circumstances which brought them to seek vampire counsel in the first place.

"I truly smell nothing irregular, Sam," Carlisle sighed. "You _really_ are going to have to elaborate."

"It smells like a vampire convention here, at the high school, and all throughout the forest ever since Friday of this past week," he said pointedly, pacing in front of us in tight ellipses. "Have you invited more than just this girl to stay with you, and if so for what purpose?"

"I have been away for a month and a half. I only just arrived home with Bella on Friday so I really can't speak to other vampire scents in the immediate area other than to say I have smelled none personally." Carlisle stopped, glancing at me briefly before raising a questioning eyebrow. "Hmm… Friday is a bit coincidental though. Perhaps… perhaps the strong smell is actually only her."

"How is that possible, Cullen?" Sam argued, hopeful but doubting.

"I'm really not sure. To be honest, she smells very pleasant to me," he said, smirking at me over his shoulder. That was a sweet gesture considering the context of this conversation. "Since I know I am speaking the truth about my own observations, and because I have no reason to doubt yours, I believe there must be a plausible explanation for the things you have mentioned coinciding with my return with Isabella to Forks."

Exasperated, Sam grumbled, "I need to have my questions answered to appease my tribe. I don't see how one of you can smell like vampire-concentrate… Then again we don't know a lot about your kind's physiology, like that eye color thing," the Alpha spoke almost too himself.

Sam looked pensive about the situation, but his obvious doubt at Carlisle's claims made his already irritated demeanor even more irksome to me. "I'll need to smell the girl myself to see if what you say is true then," he declared after a few moments of deliberation, scowling at the thought.

Stepping in front of me protectively, Carlisle replied sharply, "If I permit you to get close enough to smell her, then you must not react aggressively no matter what you determine. Is that understood, Sam?"

I truly appreciated the effort Carlisle was putting into protecting me since my "father" knew I was far more indestructible than he was. He still wanted to keep me safe and I loved him more for it.

Sam sneered, "Is that a promise or a threat, Cullen? Do you suspect I'm going to smell something on her I won't like? Human blood maybe?" Sam asked scathingly, slowly moving forward.

Carlisle grinned proudly. "I am absolutely certain she will not smell of human blood. Bella detests it. I am far more concerned with your already aggressive behavior towards us. Despite what you may believe, we are a peace-loving family and we intend on keeping relations between the Cullens and the Quileute amiable if at all possible. Please, for the sake of the treaty, do not judge prematurely and we can discuss whatever issues are bothering you with open-minded consideration, whatever you may find."

If he wasn't so averse to lying, I couldn't help but think Carlisle would have made a wonderful politician. That much was evident in the tactful way he just explained the situation to the livid Native American hell-bent on starting trouble, especially if the look of hatred already present in his dark brooding eyes was any indication.

I somehow already knew how this would end since the timing of the "phasing outbreak" within their tribe was perfectly timed with my arrival. I knew I was to blame for their troubles and suddenly understood Sam's unmitigated outrage towards us. My presence alone created the issues which were starting to be discussed telepathically amongst the giant wolves still holding formation behind their approaching Alpha. They were all focused on what they lost because of their respective changes, how things would never be the same, how their lives were irrevocably interrupted.

I empathized with their plight completely even if I couldn't remember the extent of what I lost by becoming a vampire. Somehow, perhaps in a dark corner of my mind which still held on to that part of my humanity, I knew I had been loved by someone in my human life. I sometimes wondered if they missed me when I didn't return from vacation with my mother and step-father. I didn't even know my real last name, simply using "Volturi" as my Masters had commanded. It was a bitter truth, but it seemed I'd gotten the better end of things considering the pain these wolves were experiencing due to their knowledge of what could have-should have been.

After a tense minute of deliberation, Sam finally nodded and Carlisle stepped aside, allowing the wolf/man to get just close enough to smell me but not so close that he could touch me without lunging forward. I saw no reason why he would touch me though considering the disgust he felt was radiating like heat waves from his dark brown eyes. I felt the Major shift his weight, standing minutely closer to me to offer moral support and calming vibes that were only slightly effective due to the accidentally projected worry he was also emitting. His anxiety was bleeding through to interfere with his comforting attempts, growing stronger as the wolf leaned forward to inhale deeply.

I held my breath and awaited Sam the Alpha's judgment. Completely on reflex, I simultaneously reacted to the jolt of fury and subsequent fierce growl by letting my physical shield loose in an attempt to protect me, the Major, and my Dad from the angry beast standing too close for my comfort. Careening backwards, I watched in awe as Sam morphed mid-air into a giant charcoal wolf. Shredding his clothes while being forcefully propelled through the air, he crashed in a tree well over fifty yards behind him. Stunning everyone including myself with the magnitude of my own power, he had been sent flying a half a football field away just by my protective bubble and I hadn't even put any effort into it.

Distracted by what I perceived to be a strange event since I had never accomplished that with quite so much force before, I barely noticed the extent of the wolves' impressive speed as they swiftly pounced. They might have been fast, but their efforts were futile since my impenetrable shield was already in place. They wouldn't get in now unless I let them in and that was not going to happen while they were snarling like rabid dogs poised for a vicious assault.

Shaking off whatever magic caused these Native Americans to shift into wolves, Sam, slightly delirious from the force of the impact, bounded towards us on four legs as he attempted to phase back. There was some shaking and shimmering for a moment, the sounds of bones cracking as he changed back into a naked, russet-skinned human right before our eyes. Having already closed half the distance in his wolf form, Sam grabbed a pair of shorts tied on the hind leg of another wolf before approaching the now opaque wall protecting us from them. My usually translucent shield had temporarily lost its invisibility due to the force of the impact from the wolves continuously slamming against it, giving everything on either side of the shield a distorted, misty look.

Dressing quickly while keeping his eyes locked on us, Sam glared at me hatefully before cracking his neck and barking orders to the rest of his pack to stand down. Approaching carefully, clearly nervous about being launched into the air again, Sam quite predictably demanded an explanation. "Just what the hell was that about, leech? I thought you said you meant us no harm."

Carlisle was quick to defend me. "I warned you to mind your reaction, Sam. Bella is very new to this life and was startled by you growling in her face like that. She has the ability to deflect physical attacks by generating a shield to protect herself and those she chooses to keep inside. She felt threatened with you standing so close to us. Bella cares for my family deeply, much like you do for the members of your tribe. She will not allow us to come to harm when she can prevent it." Artfully using the information I had attained from reading the minds of the wolves before they arrived, my Dad tempted Sam's logical side by showing our similarities over our differences.

"_That_ is the only reason why we're here," the Alpha huffed resentfully, "Our families! She _**is**_ the source of the strong smell. I don't understand how it's possible, but that means she is the reason our boys are phasing. Simply because _she_ is near! Because you brought her here! Vampire stench seems to trigger the dormant wolf genes to activate and you have all caused a great deal of damage, especially to the teenagers among us. They are phasing long before they have any business doing anything other than finishing high school, middle school even," he growled before cooling his temper to a more manageable level so he could speak properly again.

"Now that I have determined she _is_ the source of our recent trouble," he said with a pointed snarl in my direction, "She must leave the area as soon as possible - treaty or not. In less than a week we've had four new wolves phase for the first time. They're all so young – too young. If you leeches never returned to this area then none of this would have ever happened to us. Our lives would have been normal; they would have been our own. Why did you have to come back here?" Sam's voice cracked at the end, his livid tirade laced with a sad sort of desperation.

A face of a fierce-eyed russet-skinned woman flashed in his mind before quickly being over-ridden by another with softer features and a brutal scar, consuming his whole being with an unyielding sense of devotion. While both women were very beautiful, there was a futile longing when he thought of the first one and an intrinsic kind of soulful love for the second. Although I didn't understand the specifics, it was obvious the changes had not only affected the teenagers negatively. Something had happened to hurt him deeply as well. He just wasn't mentioning it specifically in front of his vampire audience.

While I felt terrible for this man with the dark, tormented eyes, I was too overwhelmed to give his personal dilemma much thought at the moment. My own panic at the likelihood of being sent back to Volterra because of Sam's demands prompted the playing of a cruel string of memories through my mind. Perhaps Carlisle might have considered letting me stay with the Denalis instead, but I was certain my Volturi Masters would order me home if not for the Cullens. The Denali girls were great fun once they stopped perceiving me as a threat to their sexual conquests whenever we went out, but I could learn much more from my new family than I could from the succubus clan. That was my ultimate purpose here – to learn to serve the Volturi's interests in America better while keeping Master Caius as far away from me as possible.

With thoughts of returning to that monster still fresh in my mind from my earlier conversation with the Major, Sam's mandate had me rattled and feeling dangerously out of control. Just as I began plotting my best course of action, destroying all of the wolves or grabbing both of my companions to flee, I was cocooned in a blanket of calm which enveloped me so sweetly I blissed out for a moment.

The Major must have used a massive dose of serenity to overpower my panic, so much so Carlisle appeared slightly delirious when I glanced in his direction. Smiling brightly at the source of such soothing sentiments, I reclaimed my strength and felt my extreme mood shift again, this time of my own volition. I nodded to the Major, feeding him my gratitude and a small amount of apprehension so he could tell I was okay to continue but still uncomfortable.

Feeling the emotional imbalance coming from me and the Alpha in such a short span, the Major must have decided to speak up and quell both of our compiling fears in one stroke. "Sam, I understand how upset you are, but I'm sure we can come up with another resolution which doesn't involve our entire family leaving town."

While I appreciated the effort and carefully chosen words Jasper used to reassure me of our solidarity, the soothing mental embrace he was holding me in was a clear enough sign for me. He wasn't going to send me away. I sent him my appreciation, respect, and adoration right back so he knew just how much I valued his kindness, still unsure if I even deserved it considering how much trouble I always caused.

Breaking free from the dizzying effects of being stuck in a bubble with two empaths, Carlisle cleared his throat and shifted his feet a few times. "We had no reason to suspect that our presence in Forks was the source of your tribe's manifestation of shape-shifting abilities, or that it would be something you'd oppose so vehemently being that it is part of your tribe's nature," Carlisle added the last part thoughtfully, provoking at least two of the wolves in the pack to realize what he was implying about their heritage. "Unfortunately we cannot leave town until the end of the school year. I apologize for the toll it is taking on you all, but we simply cannot go yet."

"Why?! Why have you come? Why can't you just leave?" Sam bellowed, shaking with rage. I could almost smell the magic taking hold of him again as the wolf fought to be released from his human entrapment.

"Please calm yourself a bit, Sam. You need to maintain your human form so we can converse since Edward isn't here to interpret," Carlisle lied smoothly despite his honest nature. I smiled internally, appreciating not being outted any further since I didn't want to provide additional reasons for them to be afraid of me. The looks I got from displaying my shield alone were doing plenty to make me feel like a freak.

With a deep sigh, Carlisle continued, "Originally a Seer had adamantly informed us that we needed to return to Forks for this cycle of school, never indicating it would cause such profound issues. And now, for reasons that you do not specifically need to know, it is necessary for us to remain in this area until the end of the school year. If we were to leave suddenly before that time the resulting investigation as to the cause would not be beneficial towards hiding the existence of your kind from those in power in our world who would seek to destroy you all."

Despite his efforts to the contrary, it was difficult for Sam to argue with that kind of logic. Dad had skillfully covered all of his bases. Though convincing, that wasn't stopping the angry Alpha from muttering obscenities under his breath after finding our sides at another stalemate. I hated that Carlisle was correct in his assessment of the actions the Volturi would take if we were to abruptly move. They might assume a human knew of us or I had caused an issue which jeopardized our secret, tales of what I had done to Xavier Cordoba still floating around the castle to this day. In either case, their justice would be swift, absolute, and brutal above all else.

Worse than that was the realization that I would be the one utilized to administer the majority of their judgment. As much as I detested these stinky beasts on a purely biological level, I knew they didn't deserve to die just for existing. Their good-natured, well-intentioned sides had somehow managed to overpower my distaste for them, probably since my gifts allowed for firsthand knowledge of how deeply they cared for each other. Seeing them in a different light, I would hate to have to destroy them all even though I would have no alternative if given a direct order. I would annihilate them all on the word of my Masters, tormented by their innocent blood on my hands for eternity.

In reaction to my despair-laden thoughts, the Major interjected into Sam's profane tirade against all things supernatural. "What if there was a way to mask her scent?" he asked suddenly, drawing the stares of everyone in the clearing. "Would that be enough to fix the issue on your end, Sam?"

"How is that even possible? Can you do that at will or something? Why does she smell so much more potent than the rest of you in the first place?" Sam asked in rapid succession, looking at our coven leader incredulously.

Carlisle looked thoughtful as well, clearly wondering what the Major had in mind that he hadn't thought of himself. To make matters worse, Dad was mentally sputtering to find a plausible explanation for my evidently overwhelming fragrance, something that wouldn't make things worse in the long run.

As complicated as Carlisle was making the situation in his mind, I could feel nothing but confidence coming from the Major. I had complete faith in whatever resourceful plan he had devised even though I hadn't the slightest clue what it was. In favor of giving the Major his mental privacy, I waited for him to explain it to me along with the rest of the disbelieving on-lookers.

With an impassive air, the Major stated plainly, "First of all, I have no clue why you think she smells so strongly. I can assure you, just as Carlisle has stated already, that I myself do not perceive her fragrance that way at all. Secondly, there is someone I consider family who completely lacks a scent which I believe could be a great help in this situation, though I will not speak as to the methods used to create the results you require. If he were to come here and assist Bella I have every reason to think her scent will no longer be an issue." He paused, addressing them with a challenging eyebrow quirked already, "However, you do need to know that he and his mate who would be accompanying him are human-drinkers."

The responding growls made the Major hesitate speaking for a moment, waiting for the wolves to stop as if they were insolent children interrupting their teacher from speaking. It was difficult not to smirk at his tactical nature. Somehow I managed to keep my abounding hero-worship to a minimum. For now at least, knowing I was going to have an inevitable fan-girl moment with him in private very soon.

When the noise finally died down, the Major continued dismissively, "Like I was saying," he paused again to pointedly look over the wolves like a bunch of misbehaving puppies. Despite Sam's huff at the Major's cocky behavior on full display, I felt his own frustration with the wolves' reaction too. Sam was already planning on scolding them later for making him look like he wasn't in control. "They are both good people who only hunt the worst of society, feeding on criminals they catch in the act mostly. I can assure you that they will not hunt anywhere remotely close to Forks since they usually only find what they are looking for in big cities: rapists, murderers, drug dealers, and the like. However, if I'm going to ask them to come all the way up here to help with the problem y'all are having, then I need to have your absolute assurance as Alpha of this pack that they will not be attacked in any capacity."

Sam was quick to reply, his tone biting. "If they make the trip here it is to help you all as much as us. I'll have to judge things for myself after I see them firsthand. Only then will I decide if they can be given temporary permission to remain here while they sort out the girl's smell. Call me before they arrive so we know to let those two particular red-eyes pass should we run into them."

Considering the dire need to resolve my scent problem, Sam quickly added, "What are their names in case we come across them before then? What do they look like? Do they… uh… look like you?" Sam asked, addressing the Major awkwardly.

I understood his apprehension, being well aware of how frightening the Major appeared to others for completely superficial reasons. I, however, didn't see things in quite the same way. Just like I said at our spot on the river bend, I thought he was breathtaking in the inherent ferocity he seemed to generate with his every move. His scars only added to that effect for me, terror-provoking as they may be to everyone else.

"Yes," the Major spoke assuredly, quirking an eyebrow in the sexiest of ways. I pinched my thigh as hard as I possibly could. Pushing down all of the sexual urges I was suddenly feeling to prevent Carlisle from becoming the next victim of an empathic sex-bomb. That would have been too awkward, especially in our present, mixed company.

The Major, completely aware of what he was doing to me, smirked slightly in my direction before reclaiming his stoicism and explaining further to the clueless dogs. "They fought in the same vampire war I did. Not for quite as long in either of their cases, but they have similar scarring if that is what you mean." Sam nodded. "There are only a few of our kind who still walk the Earth that might match that description. Other than me a tall, light-brown haired man named Peter and his petite, platinum blonde wife, Charlotte, you won't come across many with these kinds of marks anymore."

A wolf just to Sam's right snorted derisively. Even without my mind-reading, despite his wolf form, it was obvious he was mocking the Major. Speaking directly at the rude beast, the seasoned soldier cautioned coldly, "A word to the wise, if you did happen to come across someone fitting that description, you'd be a fool to approach without the rest of your pack as back-up. Believe me or not, it's of little consequence. If that scenario did occur then you'd probably never make it back to tell me I was right anyway."

Even though it was in their nature to argue, their belief they were biologically superior fueling their pride, the Major's hypnotic presence overruled their ability to argue the contrary. Even Sam stared appreciatively for a moment, his thoughts flickering through fantastical imagery of the Major in combat. Being bitten and somehow surviving countless times seemed to give the Jasper some inherent credit with these wolves. Sam was slightly awed and rightfully so, but eventually managed to break his trance and bark out another question.

Sobered from his admiration of his enemy, the Alpha asked contemptuously, "Do you know the vampires in the area that are killing the humans off so viciously?"

"We absolutely do not," Carlisle said with conviction. "In fact, we have already notified our own authorities about them. They seem to be very dangerous with their careless flaunting of their crimes. I suggest you keep a close eye on those leaving the Reservation for the time being." Carlisle looked remorseful, glancing at the wolves before he continued, "The nomads should know enough not to cross into your territory just from your scent alone, but keeping your families safe is a priority to you all so it is one to us as well. We truly do want a peaceful accord with the Quileute and we will do what we can to help with these ruthless miscreants since they do seem to have become more brazen, hunting closer to the human population of the town and in the middle of the day no less."

No one spoke for a moment, Sam's face contorted into a tight scowl. "We had no idea you police yourselves like that," the Alpha said, outwardly aggravated but internally pleased with the information. "That's it for now then. We'll be in touch, Cullen." With that he turned and leapt in the air, shredding another pair of shorts in the process. I briefly considered how rude that was since those weren't even his to Hulk out in, but I was really in no place to judge since the whole transformation into a giant wolf thing was a little too stunning to watch anyway.

"You can put the shield down now, Kitten. You did very well." The Major spoke soothingly in my ear once the pack was a mile out. Shivering from his breath on my neck, I dropped my protective bubble instantly.

"Good job, Darlin'. I'm sure you have some questions about the claims I made, and I know you aren't in control of your acquisition of new gifts, but duplicating Peter's lack of scent would be very beneficial to you anyway. It's at least worth a try. What do you think, Carlisle?" he asked, eyes lingering on me before he turned to our coven leader.

"I think that was a great improvisation for the situation, Jasper. Well done," he said, tipping his head in acknowledgment. "Do you think Peter could come on such short notice?"

"I think he would be up to making the trip if I told him how important it was that he gets here quickly. I'll give him a call," the Major said, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.

As soon as he gripped it in his palm, it had already started beeping. I noted a sense of mirth take hold of the Major before he viewed his text message, almost feeling a degree of expectation as he reacted to the message sent by someone who had an obviously impeccable sense of timing.

I was curious. And although I knew I shouldn't do it, I read his thoughts as he perused the text. _'Too slow, mother fucker, I'm already on my way. Give your pretty little bird a kiss for me and the Missus, would ya? We'll be doing that in person soon enough. For now, keep her close, keep her safe, and watch your backs. That damn pixie is around and up to no good. Don't tell her about Kitten's gifts other than being a shield and an empath. Very important, brother! Don't know why, but she'll be jealous enough as is. Missed ya! Looking forward to all the fun! Hugs and kisses.' _

"It's from my know-it-all brother," the Major said, giving me a nervous smile. "Peter says he and Char were already on their way here and to expect them soon. I'm guessing tomorrow with his timing. He also says to keep Alice out of the loop about our little Darlin's powers with the exception of her empathy and shielding," he said before considering Carlisle's affinity for believing the best of everyone.

The coven's leader had already taken on a pensive countenance, considering Peter's advice. The optimistic vampire looked saddened by the prospect of being deceitful to someone he felt a responsibility to, showing just another reason I could respect him so easily. Noticing the same turmoil conflicting Carlisle, the Major added, "I think we need to trust Peter on this. After the way Alice acted with me before she left and I'm sure you've heard by now what she did to Rose, I think not stoking her jealousy further by having someone in the house with a stronger gift than her own might be wise."

"I hate to lie to her, Jasper, even by omission. I can't help but agree that it's probably wise to avoid exacerbating her precarious mental health so soon after her Thanksgiving week meltdown. I suppose you're right. I'll explain it to the others. We can inform Alice slowly as opposed to the way we did things on Bella's first night here with everyone else. It's for the best," Carlisle reluctantly sighed, putting his arm around my shoulders before pulling me close to kiss my forehead sweetly.

I had already felt so accepted into this family and it hadn't even been a full week yet. That was a frightening prospect, but one I was happy to experience since the familial love they all held for each other was such a rare thing in the vampire world. Worried about having it all ripped away from me, I looked at them both as if it was the last time I'd see their faces, understanding the severity of the situation we faced.

"I hope I am able to replicate Peter's lack of scent as quickly as possible. I feel so bad for those wolves. I've caused an even bigger burden for more than just all of you and I hadn't even realized it," I spoke ruefully as we walked at a human pace towards the edge of the baseball clearing before beginning our run home.

"You're worth it, Kitten. You just need to realize that for yourself." The Major put his arm across my shoulders, providing instant comfort along with the undeniable electric current which always seemed to accompany his touch. Having the security of these two great men on either side of me, I managed to shake off those feelings of insecurity for the time being, knowing that if they felt I was worthy of their love and attention then I needed to show them more respect by accepting it without rebuking their sentiments.

"Thank you both," I said quietly, speaking my words of gratitude without meeting their eyes. Pleased, Carlisle squeezed me tightly before breaking our group embrace to run home to his reassure his mate.

For the duration of the trip back I stuck close to the Major, loving the idea of finding a place where I truly felt like I belonged. I was desperate to hold on to him and my new family no matter what. There was no limit to the lengths I would go to protect them - I was the vampire world's greatest weapon, after all.

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**A/N:** I don't make money from these characters or concepts, but will happily accept reviews as compensation. Let me know if anyone has a question about this story that I could answer, something that was confusing or unclear so I can fix it.

Next time – A rather disturbing - or potentially illuminating depending on your philosophical slant - family discussion.


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